Fantasy Football News 2011/2012

HacheMan · Dec 8, 2011

Ingram's Inconvenience

Right as the movie was starting to get good, the projector skipped. Mark Ingram is just hoping it isn’t broken.

Coming off his best two-game stretch of the season, New Orleans’ rookie back was revealed to be dealing with another injury setback on Wednesday, this time a case of turf toe. As anyone who’s followed football for long knows, turf toe can often be as debilitating as its name is nonthreatening.

The malady is almost as poorly timed as Ingram’s previous ailment, a heel injury he suffered while racking up a season-high 91 yards on just 14 carries against the Colts in Week 7. That ended up costing him two games, and limited him for one more.

For his part, Ingram did his best to project positivity Wednesday, suggesting his case of one of football’s more unfortunately named ailments was minor. "I'm feeling better. Better than I did yesterday," he said. "It's an injury that can vary. For some people, it can linger for a while. For others, it can turn the corner fast. Hopefully these next few days, it feels better and I can be ready to go." Hopeful words for fantasy owners. Unfortunately, hope rarely helps get a player back on the field.

So what should you expect from Ingram in Week 14? Not much.

Heading to Tennessee, New Orleans finds itself in command of the NFC South after the Falcons lost to a Matt Schaub-less Texans squad last Sunday. The Saints will be taking on a Titans team not particularly adept at defending either the run (21st in the league) or the pass (18th).

In a perfect world, the Saints would again increase their first-round pick’s role in the running game as they look to remain within striking distance of the 49ers for a first-round bye. In the world we live in? They’ll probably be content to roll with Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory instead of risking further injury to a player they plan to be relying on for years to come.

What Ingram does today should go a long way toward determining his Sunday status, but if you’re a betting man or woman, you shouldn’t have your money on Ingram saddling up and finding the end zone for a third-straight week.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
Missed Wednesday practices are nothing new for Willis McGahee. When you’re a 30-year-old back running as hard as he has this season, maintenance days aren’t just necessary, they’re inevitable.

But McGahee’s latest Wednesday absence came with more intrigue than is usually preferable. First, he was simply missing without explanation. Almost always, that equals a rest, maintenance or personal day. Then, top Broncos’ beat reporter Linday Jones revealed McGahee was actually spotted limping near the end of Sunday’s win over the Vikings. Soon after, he was officially listed as out with a knee injury. Much scarier than the vague, and possibly nonexistent, “illness” that held McGahee out last week.

Before fantasy owners could get worked up into too big of a tizzy, however, McGahee came out and said he is “planning” to play against the Bears. Not as strident of a guarantee as we typically get from players announcing their intention to play through pain, but still enough that you shouldn’t panic if McGahee misses his second straight practice this afternoon.

As long as he’s at least limited by Friday and listed as questionable on the Week 14 injury report, you should have the league’s 10th most prolific back by yards and 14th most effective by yards per carry available for a tough matchup with Chicago’s eight-ranked run defense.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
The disaster in St. Louis is quickly becoming a full-fledged cosmic nightmare. It would have been bad enough Wednesday were it just franchise cornerstone Sam Bradford missing another practice with his ankle injury. Where things really got ugly was when it became clear backup A.J. Feeley (broken thumb) is a long way away from not only practicing, but throwing a football.

That means the Rams are currently on track to start would-be practice squader Tom Brandstater during their second national-television “showcase” of the season against the Seahawks on Monday.

Brandstater has long been one of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ pet projects, and the Rams would surely like to find out what, if anything, they have in the former sixth-round pick. But in the midst of what has become a truly monumental ode to offensive futility (the Rams are averaging 11.6 points per game, and have scored only 11 offensive touchdowns all season)? On ESPN? Against a division rival? Not likely.

Brandstater under center wouldn’t just be the latest embarrassment for an unacceptably bad team, but also disastrous news for owners of Steven Jackson and Brandon Lloyd. Jackson was already going to be in for a tough night against Seattle’s tenacious run defense. But with Brandstater starting, he’d find it darn near impossible to run against a unit that won’t have to bother respecting the pass (much like what happened in San Francisco last weekend).

For Lloyd, the last thing he needs coming off his first dismal performance as a Ram is another downgrade at quarterback, but that’s exactly what he’ll be getting in Brandstater. If St. Louis is indeed forced to go with its third-string signal caller, Lloyd will likely be a no-go for the first week of the fantasy playoffs after doggedly turning himself into an every-week WR2 in his new home despite the mess around him.

If you thought things couldn’t get worse for the Rams, think again.

STEELERS/BROWNS REPORT
Over its past six games, Cleveland has held its opponents to an average of just 175.2 yards passing. The problem, of course, is that teams have racked up a weekly 183 rushing yards in the process. Can you guess what the Steelers’ plan of attack will be this evening? … Coming off his first one-catch performance since Week 6, Emmanuel Sanders (knee) has already been ruled out for tonight’s game. He is eyeing a Week 15 return. … Peyton Hillis (hip) is officially questionable after being limited in Cleveland’s only practice of the week, but will reportedly start as long as he feels good in pre-game warmups. Montario Hardesty (calf, questionable) will carry the load if Hillis can’t get loose, though he should be in for a decent workload either way. Neither back is more than a flex play in 10-12 team leagues for the first week of the fantasy playoffs. … Colt McCoy (knee) is listed as probable with his latest minor injury, and will be under center. Averaging 190 passing yards over his past four starts, he should be in for a miserable night against a passing defense allowing just 176.8 yards per game.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS
Michael Vick (ribs) was a full participant in Eagles practice, and will return against the Dolphins after missing three games. … His teammate Jeremy Maclin’s (hamstring, shoulder) status isn’t nearly as certain, but his arrow is pointing up after he was able to practice for the first time since November 23 on Wednesday. … Julio Jones (hamstring), Roddy White (shoulder) and Harry Douglas (groin) were limited in Falcons practice, but all three are expected to play against the Panthers. … Nate Washington (ankle) was held out of Titans practice, and is eyeing a Friday return. For now, consider him very questionable for Sunday. … James Starks (ankle) missed Packers practice, and has a lot of progress to make in the next two days if he’s to play against the Raiders. … Jacoby Ford (foot) and Denarius Moore (ankle) failed to return to practice. Both remain relative mysteries heading into Week 14. … Josh Freeman (shoulder) did some “light throwing,” but has a ways to go before being cleared for Sunday. … Miles Austin (hamstring) turned in a limited practice, and remains on pace to return against the Giants. … Kevin Smith (ankle) did not practice. What he’s able to do today will be critical.

HacheMan · Dec 8, 2011

Week 14 Rankings

The Falcons passing game is out of synch and it doesn’t make a difference.

Fantasy football is sometimes about the most talented players. Sometimes it’s all about the schedule. When it comes to the Falcons, the schedule matters more.

Last week against the Texans, I was discouraged to see Matt Ryan miss four wide open deep shots early in the game. It was rough to see Julio Jones drop three passes, shy away from a hit over the middle, and run the wrong route leading to an interception. Ryan’s protection didn’t hold up. None of that matters this week.

The Falcons hit the fantasy playoff jackpot, with Carolina, Jacksonville and New Orleans over the next three weeks. The Panthers’ laughable defense just lost a few more starters. The Jaguars’ secondary is a shell of its former self because of injuries. And New Orleans can’t create a pass rush no matter how much they blitz.

Atlanta has issues, but they aren’t nearly as big as the teams they are facing. Sometimes you trust talent, and sometimes you trust that terrible defenses will stay terrible.

Week 14 Quarterbacks
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Aaron Rodgers</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Drew Brees</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Tom Brady</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Cam Newton</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Matthew Stafford</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>Probable(finger)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Eli Manning</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Tony Romo</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Matt Ryan</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Philip Rivers</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Michael Vick</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>Questionable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>11</TD><TD>Ben Roethlisberger</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>Probable(thumb)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>12</TD><TD>Tim Tebow</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Carson Palmer</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Joe Flacco</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Rex Grossman</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Matt Moore</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Ryan Fitzpatrick</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Matt Hasselbeck</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Josh Freeman</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>Ranked in case he starts(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Josh Johnson</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Alex Smith</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Christian Ponder</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Questionable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>T.J. Yates</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Mark Sanchez</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Tarvaris Jackson</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>Probable(pectorals)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Andy Dalton</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Kevin Kolb</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Dan Orlovsky</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Caleb Hanie</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Blaine Gabbert</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Colt McCoy</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Sam Bradford</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Ugh</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Tyler Palko</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Tom Brandstater</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Double ugh</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

QB Notes: The only risk for Ben Roethlisberger this week is that the Steelers don’t need to pass to win. That held back his numbers last week, and it could be a factor again considering Cleveland’s awful offense and rush defense. … I said it last week, but it’s worth repeating: Carson Palmer’s receivers are a huge problem for him. Unless a few guys surprisingly return to the lineup, I’d be wary of Palmer even in a good matchup. … Tony Romo got terrible protection last week. The Dallas interior line especially could have problems against the Giants. New York will be without Kenny Phillips in their banged-up secondary. One part overlooked in their clock management fiasco: Romo got the ball back at the 35-yard line with 2:54 left with two minutes left. He took a delay of game late. That’s ridiculously bad usage of time.

Kevin Kolb played his best game as a Cardinal against Dallas. I charted only five bad passes out of 25, which is his best ratio in the four games I watched him start this year. Kolb still holds on to the ball too long and takes too many sacks, but that performance provided some hope. … Matthew Stafford is a must start against perhaps the worst secondary in the league. Stafford’s entire playoff schedule sets up well. Stafford looked very sharp on Sunday night against New Orleans – his best game since his finger injury. … Michael Vick worries me against a very good Dolphins defense. This is his lowest ranking of the year, but ultimately he should be in almost all lineups.

Philip Rivers suddenly looked a lot healthier with all his weapons at full strength. His protection won’t hold up most weeks, but it will against the Bills Sunday. … This is arguably Tim Tebow’s toughest matchup yet. The Bears play a disciplined brand of defense that should slow Tebow down. Expect more good, but not great fantasy numbers. … You could do worse than Joe Flacco this week, but the Ravens probably won’t need to throw to win. … Rex Grossman would be my sneaky play of the week. Even without Fred Davis he can put up yards on the Patriots.

The Texans said a lot about T.J. Yates in how they used him. They threw a lot early. They went empty backfield. They let Yates throw downfield the very next play after a pick six was called back from penalty. I was so impressed with Yates’ ability to evade the rush, stay calm in the pocket, and throw on the move. He could have had a bigger day if not for a big Andre Johnson drop. He’s not a fantasy option, but the Texans are better off with Yates than Matt Leinart. … I hit upon the bad parts of Matt Ryan’s game in the intro, but he did hold up against a heavy rush well late in the game. It’s a concern Ryan isn’t really developing, but he should still be used in this matchup.


Week 14 Running Backs

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Ray Rice</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Chris Johnson</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Arian Foster</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Sidelined(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Ryan Mathews</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Frank Gore</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>DeMarco Murray</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Roy Helu</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>LeGarrette Blount</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Reggie Bush</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Michael Bush</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Shonn Greene</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>BenJarvus Green-Ellis</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>C.J. Spiller</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Ahmad Bradshaw</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Questionable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Marion Barber</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Beanie Wells</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>Questionable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Kevin Smith</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>Sidelined(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Peyton Hillis</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Questionable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Steven Jackson</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Pierre Thomas</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Ben Tate</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Donald Brown</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Mike Tolbert</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Felix Jones</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Toby Gerhart</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Dexter McCluster</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Brandon Saine</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Daniel Thomas</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Maurice Morris</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Joseph Addai</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Ricky Williams</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Kendall Hunter</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Javon Ringer</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Jason Snelling</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Danny Woodhead</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Questionable(abdomen)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>LaDainian Tomlinson</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Jackie Battle</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Montario Hardesty</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Probable(calf)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Lance Ball</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Bernard Scott</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Stevan Ridley</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Probable(personal)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

RB Notes: The Texans may want to dial back Arian Foster’s workloads a bit with the playoffs looming. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ben Tate more involved this week especially because Foster had 31 carries last week. The Bengals rush defense isn’t playing that well lately. … It’s a mystery to me why the Falcons don’t use Jason Snelling more. They try to run stretch plays with Michael Turner and it just doesn’t work. Against Carolina, however, just about everything should work.

Dallas’ offensive line is getting pushed around up front. That’s a big problem for DeMarco Murray, who is getting hit in the backfield too much. Felix Jones looked good when he touched the ball last week and had a chance at a long catch for a score. Jones ran hard and with more explosiveness than he had early in the year. Don’t be shocked if Murray is de-emphasized a bit this week; he’s not the must start he was a few weeks ago. … I usually stick with Beanie Wells in all scenarios, but not this week. Arizona’s line might be the worst in football and it’s the toughest matchup possible.

We’ll add Adrian Peterson when he returns to practice. Until then, assume he’s out. … It’s a slight concern that Kendall Hunter could get more carries for the 49ers now that the team clinched the division. The Cardinals rush defense is much improved. … I’ve been really impressed with Rashard Mendenhall lately. He’s ready to break out. His blocking usually stinks, but Mendenhall is making a lot of defenders miss in tight spaces. … The Bears are a tough matchup, but Willis McGahee has earned the right to start every week.

This figured to be more of a Darren Sproles week even before Mark Ingram’s toe injury popped up. The Saints may not be playing with a big lead this time. … I feel like Roy Helu’s last two games are part of an elaborate setup by Mike Shanahan to screw fantasy owners. I’m falling for it. The matchups are outstanding throughout the fantasy playoffs. Even if Helu doesn’t run a ton on New England, he should catch 4-5 passes. … Reggie Bush is also set up for a great playoff run. The Eagles can’t tackle and he gets the Bills next week.

Michael Bush showed the last couple of weeks he’s far from matchup proof. This matchup worries me because the Raiders will be playing from behind. The good news is that Bush should stay on the field with Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones still hurt. … The Broncos aren’t that tough of a matchup for Marion Barber. They gave up a huge game to Ryan Mathews two weeks ago, and Toby Gerhart went for over 130 yards from scrimmage on them last week.


Week 14 Wide Receivers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Vincent Jackson</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Mike Wallace</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Roddy White</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Greg Jennings</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Hakeem Nicks</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Victor Cruz</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Jordy Nelson</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Percy Harvin</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Questionable(illness)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Brandon Marshall</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>Probable(quadriceps)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Dez Bryant</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Miles Austin</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>A.J. Green</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Julio Jones</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Antonio Brown</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Stevie Johnson</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Mike Williams</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>DeSean Jackson</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Michael Crabtree</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Jeremy Maclin</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>Questionable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Anquan Boldin</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Santana Moss</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Santonio Holmes</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Pierre Garcon</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Reggie Wayne</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Laurent Robinson</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Malcom Floyd</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Brandon Lloyd</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Plaxico Burress</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Lance Moore</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Eric Decker</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Torrey Smith</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Damian Williams</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Golden Tate</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Johnny Knox</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Brandon LaFell</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Deion Branch</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Questionable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Demaryius Thomas</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Doug Baldwin</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Darrius Heyward-Bey</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Questionable(neck)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Greg Little</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Nate Washington</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Steve Breaston</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Vincent Brown</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Brad Smith</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Chaz Schilens</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Questionable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Earl Bennett</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>David Nelson</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Jabar Gaffney</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Jerome Simpson</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Danario Alexander</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Donald Driver</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

WR Notes: Dez Bryant frustrates even in his good games. He dropped two passes last week and seemed to run a wrong route another time. You still have to play him despite Miles Austin’s return. … You don’t have to play Laurent Robinson. He’s more of a WR3 now, although the Cowboys should still keep him on the field plenty assuming he’s healthy. I’d play Austin. Don’t think too hard about it. The matchup is right. … Kevin Kolb tried to hit Larry Fitzgerald deep only once last week. Fitz couldn’t make a tough catch. Here’s to hoping Kolb is more aggressive this week.

Steve Smith’s slowdown has reached the point where it’s become a topic in Carolina. That’s a good sign; Cam Newton will probably try to force it to him this week. … A.J. Green keeps beating tough matchups. Even against Houston, he should be in almost all lineups. … Patrick Peterson will get assigned Michael Crabtree this week. Peterson is making strides as a cornerback, but that’s a matchup Crabtree should be able to win enough. … We ranked Brandon Lloyd so low last week because we doubted the Rams could score a touchdown. That doubt remains. … I worry about Jeremy Maclin making it through four quarters.

Roddy White still has it. He beat Johnathan Joseph a number of times last week. White had a key drop and Matt Ryan missed him deep twice, but the potential was there for a big day. … Darrelle Revis + Tyler Palko = major problems for Dwayne Bowe. … Santonio Holmes has been a matchup play lately and the matchup isn’t great. … Santana Moss is a sneaky play this week, but don’t expect big plays. The Redskins are using him as a possession receiver. He’s lost a lot of speed.

Malcom Floyd is a great WR3 this week. He never stays healthy for long, but he eats up smaller cornerbacks when he is right. … I like Anquan Boldin against Indy’s small secondary. … Golden Tate is a fine reserve at this stage, but he’s too hit or miss to use even against the Rams. The Seahawks won’t need to throw much. Tate is more of a gadget player than a true every down receiver.


Week 14 Tight Ends

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Rob Gronkowski</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jimmy Graham</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Antonio Gates</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Jason Witten</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Jermichael Finley</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Brandon Pettigrew</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Aaron Hernandez</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Vernon Davis</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Dustin Keller</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Anthony Fasano</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Ed Dickson</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Dallas Clark</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>Questionable(leg)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Jared Cook</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Jermaine Gresham</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Marcedes Lewis</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Jake Ballard</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Tony Scheffler</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Visanthe Shiancoe</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Questionable(hand)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Ben Watson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Jacob Tamme</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

TE Notes: Owen Daniels should be T.J. Yates’ primary receiver a lot Sunday and the matchup is right against the Bengals’ safeties. … Dallas Clark is practicing again. With Dan Orlovsky helping the Colts passing attack, Clark could be a decent option next week against the Titans. It’s hard to get excited about him against the Ravens. Wesseling pointed out in Waiver Wired that Baltimore has been death to tight ends. … Antonio Gates looks a little better every week. A big game could be coming.

Tony Gonzalez still has one of the best sets of hands in football. It was impressive and surprising to see Gonzo make a few defenders miss with his change of direction skills last week. Gonzalez has the speed of a 15-year veteran, but he still runs incredible routes. We were wrong about his decline heading into this year. He could easily top 1,000 yards. … Minnesota’s secondary is such a joke that it’s easy to see the Lions putting up 40 points this week. Brandon Pettigrew is a better play than usual. … I’d give Anthony Fasano a slight edge over Ed Dickson as a waiver pickup.

Week 14 Team Defense

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Fortyniners Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Ravens Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Jets Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Steelers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Bears Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Seahawks Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Texans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Dolphins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Packers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Giants Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Broncos Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Bengals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Patriots Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Lions Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Buccaneers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Falcons Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Eagles Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Chargers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Cowboys Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Saints Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Rams Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Cardinals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Jaguars Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Bills Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Vikings Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Panthers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Chiefs Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Colts Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Titans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Redskins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Raiders Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Browns Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Week 14 Kickers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>David Akers</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jason Hanson</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Stephen Gostkowski</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Mason Crosby</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>John Kasay</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Sebastian Janikowski</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Matt Bryant</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Billy Cundiff</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Dan Bailey</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Rob Bironas</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Ryan Longwell</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Nick Folk</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Lawrence Tynes</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Olindo Mare</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Matt Prater</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Steven Hauschka</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Neil Rackers</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Shaun Suisham</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Alex Henery</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Nick Novak</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Connor Barth</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Robbie Gould</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Dan Carpenter</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Mike Nugent</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Josh Scobee</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Dave Rayner</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Graham Gano</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Adam Vinatieri</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Josh Brown</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Phil Dawson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Ryan Succop</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Jay Feely</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Dec 11, 2011

Matchups: Ravens Riding Rice

1:00PM ET Games

Indianapolis @ Baltimore

Something changed in Baltimore after the Ravens' Week 10 loss in Seattle, because the offensive philosophy has been entirely different since. Whereas Joe Flacco averaged 40 attempts a game during the season's initial nine weeks, he hasn't exceeded 27 during the club's three-game win streak. Over the past three games, the Ravens' run-to-pass ratio is a smash-mouth 118-74, and Ray Rice is on fire as the No. 1 overall fantasy back during that span. Expect Rice to stay hot and Baltimore's offense conservative against a Colts defense that ranks 30th against the run and may be minus MLB Pat Angerer (knee). Rice is the No. 1 fantasy running back play in Week 14. ... Ricky Williams came off the bench for season highs in carries (16) and yards (76) in Week 13, and the production wasn't all in garbage time. He had six rushing attempts and 43 yards at the half. The Ravens appear to be firing up a two-pronged, ground-based attack, and it's reasonable to believe Williams could emerge from a second straight game with worthwhile flex value. Just keep in mind that Williams is no lock for an extensive workload because he's rarely received them all year, and he offers minimal upside. Rice is the heavy favorite for all goal-line work in Baltimore.

Just as Rice's value peaks, Flacco's is in the gutter. He's become a more talented version of Alex Smith. Flacco's receivers should be open against a Colts secondary that lost top corner Jerraud Powers (elbow) and slot CB Terrence Johnson (forearm) to injured reserve this week, but will he even throw 20 times? Flacco has been removed from standard fantasy league consideration. ... Indy's defense is built to stop big plays, the bread and butter of Torrey Smith's game. This isn't a good week to use him. ... Behind Rice, Anquan Boldin is the strongest Week 14 fantasy bet on Baltimore's roster. The smallish Colts struggle to stop big wideouts. ... Ed Dickson is averaging three targets per game since the aforementioned Seahawks loss, spending most of his time blocking. The over/under on his Week 14 targets should be either two or three. Look elsewhere.

Dan Orlovsky's 30-for-37, 353-yard Week 13 stat line is deceptive because the Patriots fielded a farm-team defense against the Colts. They started street free agent Nathan Jones, wideout/return specialist Matt Slater, and James Ihedigbo in a three-safety package, with special teamer Niko Koutouvides at linebacker. Per Pro Football Focus, Slater played 71-of-74 snaps despite entering the game having not played a defensive down since his days at UCLA five years ago. No Colts receiver had more than 22 yards until second-half comeback mode. The Ravens will take this game far more seriously than the Patriots did, while decisively winning the time-of-possession battle. If you are starting Pierre Garcon or Reggie Wayne, you are banking on a throw-happy deficit to carry their numbers. And they're not facing backups for the NFL's worst pass defense anymore. Baltimore ranks fifth against the pass. ... Dallas Clark is due back from his fibula injury after a four-week absence. Neither Clark nor Jacob Tamme is a fantasy option against a Ravens defense that has allowed one touchdown to a tight end all season -- Evan Moore's Week 13 garbage-time score. ... Just as Donald Brown appeared to be taking over as Indianapolis' feature back, Joseph Addai returned healthy in Week 13 and the two split time right down the middle with Delone Carter also seeing an increased role. This is an obvious fantasy situation to avoid against Baltimore's No. 2 run defense.

Score Prediction: Ravens 21, Colts 3

Minnesota @ Detroit

It's no secret that the Vikings are struggling to stop the pass, having lost their top two corners (Antoine Winfield, Chris Cook) and best cover safety (Husain Abdullah) for the season. Over the past seven games, opposing quarterbacks have completed 146-of-205 passes (71.2%) against Minnesota for 1,808 yards (8.82 YPA), 18 touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Vikings have not picked off a pass since Week 5. The Lions have lost three of their past four games, but this mismatch should get them back on track. Detroit has a top-five passing offense, and Minnesota a bottom-six pass defense. Expect a big game for Matthew Stafford. ... Calvin Johnson's production has slowed a bit recently due to double and triple teaming, but this matchup couldn't set up better for Megatron. In his last six games against the Vikings, Johnson has piled up 33 receptions, 468 receiving yards, and five touchdowns, good for an average line of nearly 6-80-1. And Minnesota's secondary has never been this far from full strength during Megatron's career. ... Nate Burleson's on-field performance has left plenty to be desired, but he appears to have re-overtaken Brandon Pettigrew as Stafford's primary target over the middle. Showing consistency again with at least five catches in four straight games, Burleson is somewhat appealing as a WR3 in PPR leagues.

Pettigrew hasn't exceeded 50 yards since Week 4, staying on the line more to block and running not nearly as many routes as Burleson. Here is Stafford's target distribution since the Lions' Week 9 bye: Megatron 43, Burleson 31, Pettigrew 26, Maurice Morris 20, Titus Young 17, Tony Scheffler 16, Kevin Smith 16. ... Scheffler and Young are big-play threats, but fifth and sixth options in the passing game. ... The Lions would be smart to give Smith a week to let his ankle heal after a Week 13 setback. He could return as a recommended RB2 against the Raiders in Week 15. Instead, Smith is apparently going to give it a go against the Vikings, which will probably result in another three-way running back committee also involving Morris and Keiland Williams. Smith is a poor bet to last two quarters, Morris is a sorry excuse for a running back, and the Vikings have a top-seven defense in terms of yards-per-carry allowed. This is an obvious week to avoid the Lions’ backfield, even if Smith is scratched Sunday morning.

UPDATE: Smith did attempt to practice Friday, but couldn't make cuts on his troublesome ankle and left before the session ended. He is not expected to play against Minnesota. Morris and Williams will handle backfield duties. Morris is a deep PPR league option only in a difficult matchup.

The Lions played top-five pass defense in the season's first half, but they're no longer an imposing matchup without top interior pass rusher Ndamukong Suh (suspension), FS Louis Delmas (knee), nickel DE Lawrence Jackson (thigh), and CB Chris Houston (knee). In a possible shootout under the Ford Field dome, Christian Ponder is a high-upside QB2. I like the over on Vegas' 46.5-point projection for this game. ... Here is Ponder's target distribution during the last five weeks: Percy Harvin 38, Devin Aromashodu 36, Visanthe Shiancoe 22, Kyle Rudolph 14. ... Aromashodu saw a year-high 15 targets in Week 13 as the Vikings attacked Broncos RCB Andre' Goodman. Ponder only threw at Champ Bailey six times, completing two. Aromashodu is averaging over 20 yards per reception and has tools for the vertical passing game, but has only one touchdown on the year and has cleared 45 receiving yards once in the past seven games. It is still somewhat conceivable that Aromashodu could finish on a more consistent note with Michael Jenkins (knee) on injured reserve.

The Vikings are calling Ponder's (hip) status a game-time decision, and the above take stands if he is able to start. We'll know his availability early Sunday. Aromashodu and the tight ends' start-ability will go in the gutter if Ponder doesn't play, but there is reason to believe Harvin can maintain high-end WR3 value, at the very least. In Webb's two starts late last season, Harvin posted stat lines of 7-100 and 8-69 while leading Minnesota in targets (22). Webb has attempted 91 career passes, intending 29 for Harvin. The "target rate" of 31.9% would lead the NFL this season. Don't forget that the Vikings' staff has featured Harvin offensively with Adrian Peterson (ankle) at less than 100%, and that won't change just because the quarterback might be different. ... Peterson appears likely to return from his high ankle sprain after practicing on Thursday and rebounding well enough to practice again on Friday. He has recovered ahead of schedule; this is not a matter of the Vikings “pushing” Peterson to play. If Peterson is active – regardless of Ponder’s availability – he’s an obvious RB1 against Detroit’s No. 22 run defense. Toby Gerhart would resume non-factor status.

Score Prediction: Lions 30, Vikings 19

Kansas City @ NY Jets

Shonn Greene busted his scoring slump with a career-high three touchdowns in last week's 34-19 dismantling of the Redskins, and may quietly be poised for a hot finish. The Jets close the fantasy season against the Chiefs (No. 25 run defense), Eagles (No. 17), and Giants (23) in three outdoor games that may be affected by unsavory East Coast weather. Greene also happens to be playing well, racking up 454 yards on his last 94 carries (4.83 YPC) while LaDainian Tomlinson (knee) and Joe McKnight (elbow) have battled injuries. Greene should be a reliable, if low-end RB2 the rest of the way. ... The Chiefs have the NFL's weakest safeties, so it probably comes as little surprise that they've served up a league-most eight touchdowns to tight ends. While Dustin Keller has been an unreliable fantasy contributor since the season's first three weeks, this is a favorable matchup for him. He's worth a look for Fred Davis (suspension) owners, in particular.

Mark Sanchez is currently the No. 11 overall fantasy quarterback, although Michael Vick, Tim Tebow, and Carson Palmer rank lower due to playing-time differentials and are all better plays than him. Sanchez remains a two-QB league starter against K.C.'s top-twelve pass defense. ... Santonio Holmes will spend most of this game in Chiefs LCB Brandon Flowers' coverage, giving Holmes a difficult matchup. He's just a WR3 option. ... Plaxico Burress gets a more favorable draw against RCB Brandon Carr. Plax has better potential for a big performance than Holmes.

At the same time the Chiefs' backfield is morphing into a three-way committee led by washed-up Thomas Jones, Kansas City is set to square off with a Jets defense shutting down run games. New York has allowed two touchdowns to tailbacks since Week 5, over that span permitting 543 yards on 159 carries (3.41 YPC) to the position. Dexter McCluster, Jackie Battle, and Jones can be safely left out of Week 14 fantasy lineups. Jones has zero touchdowns on the year, Battle's role has dwindled, and McCluster's Week 13 score came on a 38-yard Hail Mary at the end of the first half. McCluster is 5-foot-8, so it required Brian Urlacher batting the pass directly into the pint-sized scatback's arms for McCluster to come down with the ball. It doesn't get flukier than that. ... Per Pro Football Focus, Darrelle Revis has allowed 25-of-62 throws in his direction to be complete this season for 362 yards (5.84 YPA) and one touchdown. (Stevie Johnson was the lucky one.) Dwayne Bowe can expect to see plenty of Revis in coverage and is a dicey fantasy bet with the Chiefs starting Tyler Palko again. ... Steve Breaston has scored a touchdown in 1-of-12 games. Jonathan Baldwin has not topped 26 yards since Week 8. In the first round of the fantasy playoffs, it wouldn't be a bad idea to avoid the entire Chiefs roster against New York's top-seven defense.

Score Prediction: Jets 23, Chiefs 7

Philadelphia @ Miami

The Dolphins are defending the run better than anyone east of San Francisco, but they have not faced a running back with the lateral agility and elusiveness of LeSean McCoy. McCoy has proven matchup-proof in six meetings with top-11 run defenses, compiling a per-game total yard average of 113.2 with nine touchdowns. He's rushed 100 times for 484 yards (4.84 YPC) in those games. Don't overthink: Start McCoy. He's the No. 1 running back in fantasy football. ... Michael Vick will return from his cracked ribs to start against the Dolphins. While the Miami defense has held its last seven opponents to an average of 13 points per game, keep in mind that the Fins have faced just two top-ten offenses during that span and both scored 20 against them. The Eagles are third in total offense, and Vick is the No. 7 quarterback in fantasy points per game. He's a QB1 again. ... Tight ends have had success against the Dolphins this season, but Jeremy Maclin's return from hamstring and shoulder injuries will cut into Brent Celek's targets. Whereas Celek has averaged 54 yards per game when Maclin sits out a game or is injured during one (four-week sample size), he's managed 33 yards a game in Maclin’s healthy eight. Celek should be considered a TE2 going forward.

Maclin is in a similar position to Vick. He is coming off an extended absence and multiple injuries, but is a plug-and-play starter when healthy as a top-20 receiver in fantasy points per game. Maclin also has a more favorable Week 14 matchup than DeSean Jackson. Maclin plays the majority of his snaps on the left side of the formation at split end, the position most often covered by Dolphins RCB Sean Smith. Smith is far worse in coverage than LCB Vontae Davis. Miami's corner-wideout matchups are not 100% predictable -- see their Thanksgiving assignment of Davis to Cowboys split end Dez Bryant and Smith to flanker Laurent Robinson -- but this is how it usually goes. If the assumptions are right, I like Maclin's chances of a big game and dislike Jackson's. ... Like Celek, Eagles slot receiver Jason Avant's targets and yardage totals will be affected by Maclin's healthy return. It doesn't help that Avant has been held to 20 yards or fewer in four of his last five games.

Matt Moore is effectively managing games for the Dolphins, averaging 27 attempts per week with nine touchdowns in nine appearances (eight starts). He has two multi-TD games and four without a score. Moore has emerged as a passable real-life quarterback, but he's just a two-QB league option against an Eagles defense that ranks fifth in sacks and is a top-13 unit versus the pass. Expect another ground-heavy approach from Miami. ... The Eagles were improving in run defense before meeting their match last Thursday night against the Seahawks. Marshawn Lynch exposed Philly's embarrassing tackling for 148 rushing yards, a personal high since Lynch's rookie season in 2007. Reggie Bush remains the Dolphins' feature back and has a favorable Week 14 matchup. Daniel Thomas is still just a change-of-pace runner. ... Locked in as a WR2, Brandon Marshall is the No. 17 fantasy receiver in both standard leagues and PPR. Eagles LCB Asante Samuel plays almost strictly "off" coverage, which Marshall can eat alive, and RCB Nnamdi Asomugha (knee, concussion) won't be 100 percent if he's active for the game. This is a very strong matchup for Marshall. ... Anthony Fasano is the No. 7 overall fantasy tight end over the past five weeks, in large part because he scored a pair of touchdowns against the Chiefs in Week 9. Fasano has four TDs on the season and is averaging under 30 yards a game. He's a desperation fantasy option.

Score Prediction: Eagles 23, Dolphins 20

New Orleans @ Tennessee

Chris Johnson's on-field performance is back on track, so the only factor that might deter him Sunday would be a big lead for the Saints, forcing the Titans into pass-heavy comeback mode. Tennessee will try to prevent that by force feeding Johnson to keep Drew Brees off the field. The matchup is working in Johnson's favor, as New Orleans allows 4.95 yards per carry. Effectively turning his season around just in time for fantasy playoffs, C.J. has 561 yards and three TDs on his last 101 carries (5.55 YPC). He had one score and 291 yards on his initial 105 attempts (2.77 YPC). ... Damian Williams is worth a WR3 look because he leads the Titans in targets over the past five games and will face off mostly with Saints RCB Patrick Robinson on Sunday. Nate Washington gets the tougher draw versus LCB Jabari Greer. My money would be on Williams leading Tennessee in Week 14 receiving. Washington is a weak WR3 gamble. ... Jared Cook set season lows in targets (1) and snaps (21) in Week 13 and is off the standard-league radar at this point. ... Perhaps a surprise shootout could buoy Matt Hasselbeck in a two-quarterback league, but he is averaging a pathetic 178 yards per game since Tennessee's Week 6 bye and has been held to 160 yards or fewer in three straight games. The Titans would be better off taking their chances with rookie Jake Locker, and you're better off leaving Hasselbeck off your fantasy roster.

I could give you stats and scouting reports that might make the Titans' pass defense look like a tough matchup, but they can be thrown out the window for the hottest quarterback south of Green Bay. Drew Brees has a 17:3 TD-to-INT ratio with an 18th touchdown on a rushing score over his past six games. He's eclipsed 300 yards in 9-of-12 weeks and is the No. 2 fantasy quarterback. ... Marques Colston is still squarely in the WR2 realm as the top wideout in the NFL's top-ranked passing offense, but Colston has a difficult matchup. Titans RCB Cortland Finnegan covers the slot when opponents use three- and four-wide sets, and Colston will face off with him frequently both inside and out. At 5'10/188, Finnegan has struggled with big receivers in the past (e.g. Andre Johnson), but is playing at an All-Pro level this season. Fantasy owners filthy rich at receiver can use these facts to break lineup ties. ... Jimmy Graham is the safest bet to lead New Orleans in receiving against the Titans. Playing musical chairs at safety, Tennessee has permitted the fifth most yards and fantasy points in the league to tight ends. Graham is set up for a monster day.

Robert Meachem has consistently played a significant amount of snaps this season and is a 67% player on the year. His targets and production have been another story. While he a plus matchup with Titans LCB Jason McCourty (concussion) in danger of missing this game, Meachem is a high-upside, high-risk WR3. He is a better bet than Devery Henderson and quite arguably Lance Moore, who sees less field time than Meachem and offers inferior big-play ability. Meachem is coming off a 3-119-1 line. Moore had 2-23-1 against Detroit. ... Mark Ingram's case of turf toe is not believed to be severe, but the Saints held him out of practice all week and will lean on their impressive backfield depth in Nashville. Here was New Orleans' backfield touches-yardage-touchdown distribution during Ingram's two missed games earlier this season: Pierre Thomas 23-125-2, Darren Sproles 21-175-1, Chris Ivory 21-85-0. ... Little else changes in the three-headed monster when Ivory replaces Ingram as the short-yardage/power back. Sproles and Thomas both stay heavily involved and will be worthwhile flex options against Tennessee's No. 21 run defense.

Score Prediction: Saints 30, Titans 17

Tampa Bay @ Jacksonville

LeGarrette Blount's Week 13 clunker would have been predictable if we knew going in that the Panthers would blow out the Bucs. Tampa coaches refuse to use Blount in passing situations, and he wound up playing only 26-of-57 snaps (45.6%) as the Bucs fell behind 14-0 early. If you believe the Jaguars will win a Week 14 blowout, sit LeGarrette Blount. Injury-ruined Jacksonville certainly doesn't present an imposing run-defense matchup. Over the last three games, opposing backs have touched up the Jags for 348 yards and four touchdowns on 71 carries (4.90 YPC). ... Overcoming musical chairs at quarterback, Mike Williams has turned around his season with at least 80 yards in three consecutive games. The key stat: no dropped passes. If you watched last Monday night's Chargers-Jaguars game, you know Jacksonville's secondary is incredibly vulnerable after losing three of its top four corners to injured reserve, plus FS Dwight Lowery (shoulder). Williams has played well enough recently to "earn" a WR3 start in a plus matchup.

Here is Tampa Bay's target distribution during Williams' three-game hot run: Williams 31, Kellen Winslow 23, Arrelious Benn 15, Preston Parker 8, Dezmon Briscoe 5. ... Winslow's knees are shot after six surgeries, and he no longer possesses legit playmaking ability. The matchup is still good enough that Winslow isn't a terrible fallback option for Fred Davis owners. No team in the league has allowed more receptions to tight ends than Jacksonville. ... Benn, Briscoe, and Parker don't get the ball enough for fantasy reliability. ... Josh Johnson connected on pretty deep throws to Williams (42 yards), Benn (38), and Briscoe (23-yard TD) against the Panthers, showing that all is not lost for the skill players around him when Johnson plays. Josh Freeman (shoulder) is expected to start against the Jaguars, but Johnson's performance was confidence-instilling if Tampa Bay's starter is unable to make it through the game. Freeman has been a QB2 all season, and there's little to reason believe that will change Sunday despite the collapsing opponent.

You already know, but Tampa's defense is getting destroyed on the ground. Over their last six games, the Bucs have been stampeded for 1,103 yards and 12 touchdowns on 202 carries (5.46 YPC). Six games, and that'd be a nice full season for one running back. Expect another decidedly run-heavy game plan from interim coach Mel Tucker, whose goal is to win games and earn the Jags' full-time head coaching job rather than play out the string. Feeding Maurice Jones-Drew gives Tucker his best chance. As the No. 4 fantasy back through 12 games, MJD is a shoo-in top-five runner in Week 14. ... We've seen the "upside" of Jacksonville's wide receivers and tight ends, and it isn't pretty. Blaine Gabbert had his best game of the season last Monday night, but Jones-Drew was the only player on the roster to clear 30 receiving yards. Marcedes Lewis is now dealing with an ankle injury, and wideouts Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard, and Cecil Shorts form the laughingstock unit of the league. MJD is the only start-able Jaguar during the fantasy playoffs.

Score Prediction: Bucs 24, Jaguars 17

New England @ Washington

Fred Davis' season-ending suspension leaves fantasy owners in a bind because the Redskins don't have a pass-catching replacement on their roster. Logan Paulsen (one career touchdown at UCLA) is a blocking specialist, and Mike Sellers is an ex-fullback. Tight ends won't be a big part of Washington's offense in the last four games. ... The obvious beneficiary of Davis' loss projects to be Santana Moss, who shouldn't struggle to lead the Skins in targets down the stretch. Moss sees frequent action in the slot, running over-the-middle routes where Davis did much of his damage. The Patriots have had trouble slowing slot receivers (see Jason Avant 8-110-1, Davone Bess 5-92, Victor Cruz 6-91, David Nelson 6-84) all season. Moss is a rock-solid WR3 for the fantasy playoffs with matchups against the Pats (No. 32 pass defense), Giants (No. 29), and Vikings (26) to finish up. ... New England got top corner Devin McCourty back from a shoulder injury in Week 13, and McCourty will match up with Jabar Gaffney for the majority of this game. Gaffney may be slightly more productive with Davis out of the lineup, but he's a significantly worse bet than Moss.

At the same time, LT Trent Williams' four-game ban will make life tougher on Rex Grossman. Rex has already turned the ball over seven times in the last month, and Williams would've spent this game blocking top Patriots pass rusher Andre Carter (nine sacks). The Skins have resorted to an in-practice competition between veteran Seahawks castoff Sean Locklear and undrafted rookie Willie Smith. Grossman may simply not have a clean enough pocket to capitalize on what could have been a favorable pass-defense matchup. He's a two-QB league option only. You don’t want to pin your fantasy playoff hopes on Rex Grossman, anyway. ... Roy Helu was the Redskins' offensive centerpiece in Week 13 before the game got a bit out of hand in the second half. Helu touched the football 10 times on Washington's initial 14 offensive snaps, picking up 68 yards and a touchdown. Neither Evan Royster nor Ryan Torain received a single carry. This game could get out of hand as well if the Patriots pour on points as they normally do, but Helu can compensate in fantasy leagues because he's an excellent check-down target. While New England does have a top-ten run defense, Helu is a must-start because he's a safe bet for 20 touches.

Washington is playing top-ten pass defense, but it hardly matters for New England's matchup-proof passing attack. Tom Brady has faced top-ten pass defenses in four games this year, going a combined 105-of-147 (71.4%) for 1,271 yards (8.65 YPA) with a 9:1 TD-to-INT ratio. It can't hurt Brady's chances of a big game that Skins SS LaRon Landry (groin) will not play. ... Wes Welker is on a vicious tear with 19 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games. He's too quick for Redskins oversized slot CB Kevin Barnes to handle. ... Landry vs. Rob Gronkowski might have been an intriguing one-on-one matchup in this game, but it won't happen because of Landry's injury. Gronkowski is the No. 1 overall fantasy tight end and can't be stopped. ... Deion Branch is a hit-or-miss fantasy option with only one game over 60 yards in the past six weeks. As New England's lone viable outside receiver, Branch is more likely to be affected by the Redskins' solid cornerback play than Gronkowski or Welker. Feel free to sit Branch for higher-upside bets.

No Patriots running back exceeded eight carries in Week 13 as Bill Belichick went experimental against the winless Colts. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the only viable fantasy play in New England's backfield, but carries risk due to the unpredictable usage. Rookie Stevan Ridley led the group in touches last week. Law Firm had the lone touchdown. Kevin Faulk and Danny Woodhead were sprinkled in, and Shane Vereen was inactive due either to a hamstring injury or the fact that he simply wasn't in the game plan. ... It's just a matter of time before Aaron Hernandez resumes scoring touchdowns. He has 13 catches in his last two games and was targeted on a goal-line play at the end of the second quarter last week. The week before, Hernandez caught a 13-yard pass to get down to the Eagles' 15-yard line and had another first-quarter red-zone target. Hernandez is no Gronk, but he's definitely an every-week fantasy starter. The TDs will come.

Score Prediction: Patriots 33, Redskins 17

Atlanta @ Carolina

Game-watchers know Michael Turner's on-field play has been lackluster since midseason, and box scores are catching up. Turner has one touchdown in his last four games and 63 yards on his last 26 carries (2.42 YPC), showing a noticeable tendency to wear down in second halves of games. The matchup, of course, couldn't be better in Week 14 against a Panthers team that lost both starting defensive tackles (Terrell McClain -- MCL, Sione Fua -- hamstring) to injured reserve this week. The NFL's No. 27 run defense will rotate in 2010 undrafted free agent Andre Neblett and 2011 seventh-rounder Frank Kearse. Turner may not capitalize to the extent he could have were he still playing at a high level, but this is the most favorable matchup he'll get the rest of the way. ... Continuing to defy age, Tony Gonzalez is the No. 3 fantasy tight end behind only Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham. Matchups don't matter for Gonzo. He's an every-week starter.

Julio Jones was finger tips away from a mammoth Week 13 game, skying for a would-be score over Texans CB Jason Allen only to land just out of bounds, and dropping what could have been the game-tying touchdown on the final play. His hamstrings now healthy, Jones again has a more favorable matchup than Roddy White. Whereas White figures to deal with Panthers top CB Chris Gamble for the majority of Sunday's snaps, Jones will square off against burnable RCB Captain Munnerlyn. Jones was inactive for Atlanta's early-season meeting with Carolina, and Gamble held White to 21 yards on two catches. This isn't to say White should be benched in fantasy leagues, but the smart money says Jones will out-produce him in Week 14. ... After a four-week stretch that saw him prey on weak pass defenses, Matt Ryan returned to Earth with a pair of picks, one touchdown, and 267 yards at Houston last week. Keep in mind that the Falcons will play outdoors Sunday for the first time since Week 4. Ryan isn't a terrible bet for a big game with his receiver corps back healthy, but here's guessing you've made the fantasy playoffs with a superior starter.

I like the over on Vegas' 47-point projection for Falcons-Panthers because I don't think either defense can stop either offense. Cam Newton is a one-man wrecking machine and could have pushed for Michael Vick's single-game record of 50 fantasy points had Carolina not taken the pedal off the gas during the second half of last week's termination of the Bucs. ... The Panthers are winning games recently with the rushing attack, which will inevitably open up passing lanes for slumping Steve Smith. The Falcons are again without top CB Brent Grimes (knee), and last week served up 97 yards in less than three quarters to Andre Johnson with Grimes out of the lineup. This week sets up as well as it possibly could for a Smith rebound game. I'd think of Smith as a top-five receiver play versus Atlanta. ... Greg Olsen has battled turf toe and knee injuries since the first month of the season, perhaps contributing to his sharp drop-off in production. He's exceeded 50 yards once in the last eight weeks. The Falcons have not been particularly generous to tight ends in fantasy, so it's reasonable to consider sitting Olsen if you own a viable alternative.

The Panthers resumed starting Legedu Naanee (2-38-1) over Brandon LaFell (3-64) in Week 13, although LaFell played more snaps. LaFell is the better fantasy option of the two, but remains a rotational player and would need a sustained stretch of respectable production in order to be a "trustworthy" fantasy play. If you're into trying to anticipate those things as opposed to wait for them to happen, the Falcons rank 21st against the pass and are at less than full strength in the back end. ... Over the last three games, Jonathan Stewart has 47 touches to DeAngelo Williams' 37. Neither has exceeded 16 touches in any week this season, but Stewart gets more receptions and therefore sees increased in-space opportunities, where he has a better shot to hit big gains. D-Will is a low-end, low-ceiling flex. J-Stew at least offers upside in a flex spot, and it's worth noting that he racked up 74 yards and a score against Atlanta's top-three run defense in Week 6.

Score Prediction: Panthers 30, Falcons 24

Houston @ Cincinnati

A Bengals defense that opened the year stuffing the run is springing leaks. Over the past month, Rashard Mendenhall, Isaac Redman, Ray Rice, and Peyton Hillis -- the latter at less than 100% -- have combined to tag Cincy for 349 yards and six touchdowns on 86 carries (4.06 YPC). The per-play average isn't exciting, but rushers are scoring on the Bengals because they've been easy to move the ball against since losing CB Leon Hall. Offenses are getting into scoring position, and each of the aforementioned rushing touchdowns has occurred inside the ten-yard line. With nine TDs in his last six games, Arian Foster is as safe a bet for weekly scores as any back in football. Foster also ranks third in receiving yards among tailbacks, finding ways to compensate even in weeks where his yards-per-carry average is low. ... The 7-5 Bengals should stay competitive enough Sunday to prevent Ben Tate from proving a worthwhile flex start. Since Foster returned from his early-season hamstring injury in Week 4, Tate has averaged 7.5 carries for 37.5 yards with no touchdowns in games the Texans lose or win by fewer than 18 points (four-game sample). When Houston wins by 18 or more (three-game sample), Tate has averaged over 13 carries for 94 yards with two touchdowns. Ben Tate needs blowout victories for fantasy-viable production.

T.J. Yates is a poised, aggressive young passer. He is comfortable in the pocket and willing to take shots downfield. Yates can keep Houston's offense afloat, but the team's run-heavy mindset prevents his pass catchers from posting consistent production. ... Here is Yates' target distribution since replacing Matt Leinart in the second quarter of Week 12: Andre Johnson 12, Owen Daniels 11, Foster 6, Jacoby Jones 4, Kevin Walter 4. ... With Johnson (hamstring) out 1-2 weeks, Jones will take over at split end with Kevin Walter at flanker. Jones averaged 48 yards with two scores in Johnson's six missed games earlier this season. Walter had one touchdown and a 41.5-yard average. Both are WR3 rolls of the dice, but Jones has a superior matchup against Bengals RCB Pacman Jones. Walter will spend most of the day in LCB Nate Clements' coverage. Clements has been Cincinnati's top cornerback in Hall's absence. ... Daniels is probably the favorite for targets in Houston now, but this is a prohibitive matchup. The Bengals are allowing under 50 yards per game to tight ends, and only three players at the position have scored on Cincinnati all season.

Cedric Benson has managed a pedestrian 425 yards on his last 119 carries (3.57 YPC). He is a low-end RB2 against the Texans' fourth-ranked run defense. Fellow straight-line power backs Michael Turner (14-44-0) and LeGarrette Blount (10-34-0) will attest to the fact that Houston isn't easily run on. ... A.J. Green has burned Joe Haden and Ike Taylor for 212 total yards and a touchdown in back-to-back weeks. He has "earned" a WR2 start against Texans CB Johnathan Joseph. ... Jerome Simpson has a more favorable matchup on paper than Green, but is not fantasy playoffs material. He's been held to 15 receiving yards or fewer in three of his last five games and did not catch a pass in Week 13. ... The Texans pose a prohibitive matchup for Jermaine Gresham. Houston has allowed the third fewest receptions in the league to tight ends, and the fourth fewest yards. Only two tight ends have scored on the Texans this season. ... This game sets up poorly for Andy Dalton, as well. Houston ranks third against the pass and Dalton has a 3:4 TD-to-turnover ratio over his last three games. December weather also threatens to be a factor in Cincinnati. This projects as a low-scoring affair with two top-six defenses doing battle.

Score Prediction: Texans 20, Bengals 13

4:05PM ET Games

Chicago @ Denver

Proving that matchups don't matter, Tim Tebow has posted top-ten QB stats against both premier run defenses (Vikings, Dolphins) and highly-ranked pass defenses (Jets, Chargers). Tebow has played extensively in eight games this year. As a passer alone, his 16-game pace would include a 20:2 TD-to-INT ratio, plus six more rushing touchdowns. The Broncos haven't quite unleashed Tebow and allowed him to play "street ball" -- attacking opponents with both the run and pass in the same game from the shotgun -- but it's coming. A Week 15 matchup with the Patriots may be the target date, so look for Denver's coaching staff to tinker with it versus Chicago. Tebow has maintained a "high floor" with considerably more fantasy upside than we've witnessed so far.

Demaryius Thomas' 4-144-2 stat line in Week 13 was more an indication of his enormous long-range potential than an immediate sign of things to come. As Eric Decker's owners know by now, inconsistency is inevitable for receivers in the NFL's most run-heavy offense. Decker and Thomas both offer plenty of weekly fantasy "ceiling," particularly with Eddie Royal (neck) not expected to play. They're also major gambles. Until the Broncos remove Tebow's shackles, Decker and Thomas may alternate week-to-week production. As to who will out-produce whom against Chicago, your guess is as good as mine. ... Willis McGahee was given Thursday and Friday's practices off in order to ensure that the soreness in his knee would subside as much as possible before Sunday's game. The Bears' No. 8 run-defense ranking looks tough on paper, but they're permitting 4.45 yards a carry. Since Tebow replaced Kyle Orton at halftime of Week 5, McGahee has 553 yards and three touchdowns on 104 rushing attempts (5.32 YPC). McGahee managed 333 yards and one score on 78 early-season carries (4.27 average) with Orton under center.

After Caleb Hanie's three-pick Week 13 game, Bears OC Mike Martz has vowed to increase his offensive tempo and play more aggressively, rather than scale things back to give Hanie more comfort. It's another factor working in Tebow's favor, because the Broncos are a good bet to win the time-of-possession battle Sunday. Hanie has been turnover prone in the preseason and threw two interceptions in two quarters of action during last year's NFC title game. This is becoming a trend. Start the Broncos' defense and avoid all Bears pass catchers. ... Marion Barber has been ignored in Chicago's passing game this season and will essentially be a homeless man's version of LeGarrette Blount going forward. Kahlil Bell will replace Barber on the field when Chicago falls behind. Barber stands to receive 16-22 carries against Denver's No. 20 run defense, assuming the Bears stay competitive. Bell will be the passing-down back and preferred option on screens. This offense probably isn't going anywhere on Sunday, so Barber is just a flex option in non-PPR leagues. Bell would need a pass-heavy comeback scenario to prove a worthwhile fantasy start.

Score Prediction: Broncos 24, Bears 13

San Francisco @ Arizona

Granted A.J. Feeley was quarterbacking the offense, but the 49ers didn't allow the Rams to cross the 38-yard line on a single possession during last week's 26-0 shutout victory. San Francisco is playing the toughest defense in football, erasing rushing attacks and forcing opponents to resort to the pass. No team in the league is allowing fewer points per game (13.4). The Cardinals' offense has struggled mightily to generate points and yards when Beanie Wells has been a non-factor this season, and precedent says that will remain the case on Sunday. Battling hamstring, knee, and thumb ailments, Wells is a low-end RB2 against the 49ers. He'll probably need a goal-line score to be profitable, and San Francisco hasn't given up a rushing touchdown all year. If you are looking for a desperation tiebreaker, perhaps the fact that All-Pro ILB Patrick Willis will miss the game with a knee injury could tilt you toward Wells. But he's not a strong fantasy play regardless. ... Kevin Kolb's return from foot and toe injuries did nothing to spring Larry Fitzgerald in Week 13, but it's difficult to imagine benching wide receivers who are on pace for over 1,250 yards and eight touchdowns. ... Andre Roberts caught all six of his Week 13 targets for a game-high 111 yards. It was the second game over 55 yards of Roberts' career. The pendulum could just as easily swing back toward Early Doucet this week, leaving neither as a viable starter during the fantasy playoffs.

Last week, Dez Bryant toasted Patrick Peterson for 86 yards and a TD on eight receptions in a design similar to how Michael Crabtree dropped his 7-120 line on Peterson in Week 11. Peterson doesn't get a quick break on the ball in "off" coverage, and for some reason the Cards continue to let him give a cushion. This is a matchup ripe for the picking for Crabtree, especially in PPR. ... Vernon Davis is one of the league's most physically gifted tight ends, but he's underwhelmed in the passing game due to increased blocking. The tight end position has thinned out around the league as the season has gone on, so Davis has remained a top-ten weekly play. ... Frank Gore racked up 88 yards on 24 carries against Arizona in Week 11, but it's fair to wonder if he's slowing down at the wrong time of the year. Gore has managed 203 yards and no touchdowns on his last 69 rushing attempts (2.94 YPC). ... Braylon Edwards' return may add an explosive element to San Francisco's offense, as long as Edwards doesn't perform as poorly he did before the knee and shoulder injuries. Alex Smith will be a strong two-QB league play when we see evidence of that on the field.

Score Prediction: 49ers 17, Cardinals 10

4:15PM ET Games

Buffalo @ San Diego

The Chargers' offense hit on all cylinders in last Monday's 38-14 floor-wiping of Jacksonville, and they have a matchup to stay hot versus Buffalo's defense, a unit weaker than its No. 22 overall ranking indicates. Over the last five games, opponents have licked the Bills for 708 rushing yards and six rushing scores, including last week's 31-carry, 187-yard bulldozing by Tennessee. Ryan Mathews has 391 yards on his last 70 carries (5.59 YPC) and is pushing RB1 status now that he's healthy. ... With Mathews all the way back to 100%, Mike Tolbert received just six touches in Week 13. Tolbert carries very little value as a change-of-pace back, needing red-zone touchdowns to save his fantasy games. ... Vincent Brown has dropped off the standard-league fantasy radar with Malcom Floyd returning from his own injury. The promising if inconsistent rookie is now a clear-cut third receiver. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown played 5-of-58 snaps in Week 13.

Back home in sunny San Diego, the Chargers' passing game is set up for success. Floyd, Antonio Gates, and Vincent Jackson turned in a full practice week for the first time since early in the year, and they're all coming off productive Week 13s. Gates is the No. 5 fantasy tight end in points per game, while V-Jax is the No. 9 receiver. They should both be locked into lineups. ... After sitting out Weeks 9-12 with a strained hip amongst other ailments, Floyd returned as a full-time player against the Jags. He played 43-of-58 snaps (74.1%), a rate that will rise going forward. In this game, Floyd will spend the majority of the day in Bills RCB Drayton Florence's coverage. It's a favorable matchup for WR3 usage, and Floyd knows Florence well from his 2003-2007 stint with San Diego. ... Over the last five weeks, only Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Eli Manning have scored more fantasy points among quarterbacks than Philip Rivers. Rivers' on-field play hasn't necessarily turned around, but he's filling stat sheets and should continue to do so Sunday.

C.J. Spiller has a good enough matchup to be considered a rock-solid flex against the Bolts' No. 26 run defense, but he's not shedding the "boom-or-bust back" label anytime soon. In Week 13 against Tennessee, 11 of Spiller's 17 touches went for three yards or fewer with four carries of zero or negative yardage. He did break off gains of 12, 25, and 30 yards, the latter for a score, and had a would-be 41-yard touchdown run called back by penalty in the first quarter. Tashard Choice had six touches in the change-of-pace role off the bench. Johnny White didn't get the rock. ... The Chargers' pass defense isn't nearly as effective as its No. 6 ranking suggests, but Ryan Fitzpatrick has just one multi-touchdown game in his last five and has cleared 300 passing yards once all season. Fitzpatrick has backup-caliber talent and is not on the standard-league radar.

Despite Fitzpatrick's struggles, Stevie Johnson has scored in back-to-back games while being featured in Buffalo's offense. Here is the Bills' target distribution since their Week 7 bye: Johnson 49, David Nelson 37, Scott Chandler 25, Brad Smith 24, Spiller 16, Naaman Roosevelt 9. Johnson plays all over the formation and will see plenty of Chargers RCB Antoine Cason and LCB Quentin Jammer, both of whom are struggling. It's a plus matchup in a sneaky shootout game. ... Chandler (ankle) is not expected to play, improving Nelson's outlook because he'll have little competition for targets over the middle in the slot. Nelson is always a fair bet for touchdowns. ... Smith is starting over Roosevelt opposite Johnson. Smith won't sustain his 17 targets over the past two games, but he is lining up across from Leodis McKelvin on kickoffs and is a viable return-yardage league play.

Score Prediction: Chargers 34, Bills 20

Oakland @ Green Bay

I'm running out of good things to say about Aaron Rodgers. He's the No. 1 fantasy quarterback and should be in your lineup against Oakland's No. 17 pass defense. ... Greg Jennings plays the majority of his snaps in the slot and at split end, where he aligns to the right side of the offensive formation. He will not have to deal much with Raiders LCB Stanford Routt in this game. ... Jordy Nelson also moves around enough that Routt's spotty coverage shouldn't stand in the way of another monster day. Jennings is the No. 5 fantasy wideout; Nelson is No. 7. ... Here is Rodgers' target distribution since the Packers' Week 8 bye: Jennings 38, Jermichael Finley 30, Nelson 28, Donald Driver 17, Randall Cobb 9, James Jones 9. ... Finley has six drops over that span, but the bottom line is that he's the second-most heavily targeted pass catcher in the NFL's No. 3 passing offense. Owners with patience to stick with Finley through bumps in the road will reap the reward during difference-making fantasy games like last week (6-87-1). Finley is the No. 6 fantasy tight end, behind Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Fred Davis.

As his average of just over two targets per game suggests, Jones is an unreliable fantasy option competing for balls with Driver and Cobb at the end of the totem pole. Jones possesses big-play ability, and many NFL teams blew their chance to sign him affordably this offseason, but he's a WR4 with goose egg potential. Jones was not targeted in Week 13. ... The Packers are expected to hold James Starks (ankle) out against the Raiders, leaving backfield chores to be split amongst washed-up Ryan Grant, undrafted rookie Brandon Saine, and designated goal-line vulture John Kuhn. Grant is arguably worse than Thomas Jones at this point, managing 166 yards and no touchdowns on his last 67 carries (2.48 YPC). Saine is a desperation option, but he will play in the passing game more than Grant and probably receive close to, if not as many touches. Kuhn is the best bet for touchdowns in Green Bay's backfield, as has been the case for most of the year.

The best way to "contain" Aaron Rodgers is to keep him off the field, and Green Bay has flashed susceptibility to the run by surrendering 4.89 yards per carry on the season. While the possibility of a large early deficit is realistic for the Raiders, they'll likely do their best to avoid one by trying to get Michael Bush going early. If they do fall behind, Bush can stay relevant because he's a three-down back who plays in all passing situations. Shake off Bush's disappointing Week 13 game and use him on Sunday. Hue Jackson certainly plans to. ... I know that the Packers are low in the NFL’s pass defense ranking, particularly in terms of yardage allowed. I also know that Carson Palmer has been completely ineffective without Denarius Moore (ankle) and Jacoby Ford (foot). It is hard to imagine counting on Palmer in a standard league until Moore and Ford return to the lineup. … Chaz Schilens and Darrius Heyward-Bey will start at flanker and split end, respectively, if Moore and Ford are out again. A high pass attempt total is probable for Palmer, giving DHB and Schilens some WR3 appeal for fantasy owners willing to stretch.

Score Prediction: Packers 33, Raiders 17

Sunday Night Football

NY Giants @ Dallas

Dallas gets back lead blocker Tony Fiammetta from a three-game absence due to an inner ear infection this week, and that's good news for DeMarco Murray. In Murray's initial four games as the Cowboys' feature back with Fiammetta in the lineup, the rookie racked up 601 yards and two touchdowns on 75 carries (8.01 YPC). In three games without Fiammetta since, Murray has 198 yards and no scores on 59 carries (3.36 YPC). In Week 13, the Cowboys started Murray but mixed in Felix Jones for an early possession and the two rotated the rest of the way. Jones out-produced Murray, though not by much. The good news for Murray is that he should again have the opportunity to establish the hot hand early, and Fiammetta's return improves his chances. The Giants also rank 23rd against the run, so this is a favorable matchup. ... I've kept a running tally of New York's deficiencies in tight-end coverage, and they resurfaced in last week's loss to Green Bay. Over their last five games, the G-Men have allowed six touchdowns and 41 catches for 496 yards to tight ends. It's good for an average weekly line of over 8-99-1. Jason Witten is up next.

At full strength, the Cowboys' passing attack is explosive enough to keep pace with the NFL's top offenses. Consider last week's 13-point game at Arizona a mirage. Miles Austin practiced all week and will resume his flanker-slot role, rendering Laurent Robinson all but a non-factor in fantasy. Robinson's shoulder injury is the nail in the coffin for his Week 14 start-ability. ... Dallas took all precautions possible with Austin's pulled hamstring because Robinson had been so productive playing in his place. Austin immediately regains WR2 value. ... In his last six matchups with the Giants, Tony Romo has completed 114-of-173 passes (65.9%) for 1,373 yards (7.94 YPA) with a 14:5 TD-to-INT ratio and two more rushing scores. The Giants rank 29th against the pass this year and will not have enforcer SS Kenny Phillips (knee) for Sunday night’s game. ... Giants-Cowboys has a 49-point over/under, the second highest of Week 14. Vegas clearly believes this game has shootout potential beneath the JerryWorld Dome. Austin's return won't necessarily make Dez Bryant a less desirable fantasy play. In fact, it may decrease the defensive attention Bryant faces. He's arguably the best bet for touchdowns on Dallas' roster Sunday night.

Brandon Jacobs had more Week 13 box-score production than Ahmad Bradshaw, but Bradshaw returned from his cracked foot as the Giants' lead back. Bradshaw started and played 32 snaps to Jacobs' 14, also receiving five more touches. While Jacobs figures to remain the favorite for goal-line carries, the timeshare will lean more and more in Bradshaw's favor as he continues to prove his health to the Giants' medical and coaching staffs. If you're looking to invest in New York's backfield against Dallas' No. 9 run defense in Week 14, Bradshaw would be your best bet in a flex spot. Jacobs is an option in TD-heavy leagues only. ... Eli Manning has thrown multiple touchdown passes in five of his last six games and ranks sixth overall in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks, behind only Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Tom Brady, and Matthew Stafford. Romo has a better Week 14 matchup than Manning and would be a superior option if you're deciding between the two, but Eli has been locked in as a top-seven weekly option for several months now.

Mario Manningham is expected to return from his knee injury against the Cowboys, although it's old news that he's been passed by Victor Cruz as a top-two option in New York's passing game. Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are borderline WR1s. Manningham won't be worth fantasy consideration until he proves his health on the field and that he can still be a productive player in what will likely be a reduced role. His knee was "weak and not stable" as recently as two weeks ago. ... While Manningham's return shouldn't affect Cruz and Nicks much, it will make TE Jake Ballard and fourth receiver Ramses Barden bit players in New York's offense. Ballard can go back to help-blocking DeMarcus Ware. Barden will probably play no more than a dozen snaps Sunday night.

Score Prediction: Cowboys 27, Giants 24

Monday Night Football

St. Louis @ Seattle

This sorry excuse for a prime-time game contains just one surefire fantasy starter. Marshawn Lynch is breaking tackles at a prolific rate, and his workloads are enormous. Over the past five weeks, Lynch leads the NFL with 128 carries. Michael Bush is second with 113 and DeMarco Murray's 101 are a distant third. No running back has scored more fantasy points than Lynch during that span. Neither of these teams is likely to score many points on Monday, but Lynch is easily the best bet for touchdowns on either side. The Rams still rank dead last in run defense, and are permitting 4.99 yards a carry. ... Behind Lynch, the only Seahawks skill player worth a fantasy look is Golden Tate. Tate started in a three-receiver set last Thursday, playing 51-of-59 snaps and leading Seattle in targets and receiving. Big Mike Williams, Doug Baldwin, and Ben Obomanu were rotating part-timers against the Eagles. Williams played the most behind Tate.

In three career matchups with Pete Carroll's Seahawks, Steven Jackson has managed 157 yards on 48 carries (3.27 YPC). He's yet to score a touchdown against Carroll's team. Also appearing to wear down late this season, Jackson has 124 yards on his last 42 carries (2.95 YPC) and no TDs since Week 8. Jackson is an undesirable option for fantasy playoff teams. ... Tom Brandstater will make his first career start as A.J. Feeley (thumb fracture) and Sam Bradford (high ankle sprain) nurse injuries. We have little idea of what to expect from Brandstater on the basis that he's never attempted a regular season pass, but he is at least familiar with OC Josh McDaniels' offense after being drafted by McD in Denver. Glass-half full Brandon Lloyd owners can point to the fact that Brandstater finished the 2010 preseason with a respectable 6.8 YPA and promising 4:1 TD-to-INT ratio in Indianapolis. Fantasy leaguers interested in Seattle's fantasy defense can note that Brandstater is on his fifth NFL team in three years. McDaniels' Broncos were one of the teams that cut Brandstater. The Colts also waived him in favor of Curtis Painter last September.

Score Prediction: Seahawks 20, Rams 10

HacheMan · Dec 11, 2011

Week 14 Injury Questions

The NFL isn't like other sports when it comes to "shutdowns." In hoops and baseball, if a star isn't at 100 percent late in the year and his team is out of it, there's no sense of urgency. That star will likely just shut it down and rest up for next season.

But when it comes to the NFL, there's only 16 games a year. So even though Adrian Peterson's ankle is at 80 percent and the Vikings are 2-10, he has no intention of mailing it in. The problem for Peterson's owners is that the team's medical staff will have the final say, making this a true game-time call.

As we get set for Week 14, we'll have an eye on Peterson's status as well as the rest of the stars playing out the string.

Of course, the Rotoworld News Page will be humming all Sunday morning to bring you the latest. And be sure to read every word of these rankings from Gregg Rosenthal/Chris Wesseling in combination with Evan Silva's unprecedented Matchup Column as you set your lineups.

If you want to draft a new team just for this week, check out SnapDraft here. And if you don't have it already, you need the Rotoworld App for your iPhone/iPod. Badly.

OK, let's get to the hurt folks:

1PM GAMES
PATRIOTS at REDSKINS
* Wes Welker (knee, wrist) is a full go.
* Danny Woodhead (abdomen) is headed for a game-time call and can't be trusted. The only Patriots back we'd consider this week is BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

CHIEFS at JETS
* Kyle Orton (finger) isn't going to play. It's the Tyler Palko show again.
* LaDainian Tomlinson (knee) is ready to go despite last week's aggravation. Meanwhile, Joe McKnight (elbow) is a game-time call. Look for Tomlinson to handle the vast majority of backup chores either way.

TEXANS at BENGALS
* Andre Johnson (hamstring) is out and Kevin Walter (illness) is questionable. Desperate owners can give Jacoby Jones a look, but we're expecting a run-heavy approach from the Texans.
* Cedric Benson (foot) was just resting again this week. He's ready to go as a weak RB2 in this brutal matchup.

COLTS at RAVENS
* Joseph Addai isn't even listed on the injury report. An even load with Donald Brown can be expected.
* Dallas Clark (leg) will make his return, but his exact role is unclear after not playing in a month. This is only for the most desperate of owners.
* Billy Cundiff (calf) is in doubt. Owners should be able to find safer options.

VIKINGS at LIONS
* Adrian Peterson (ankle) is a true game-time decision as he says he's around 80 percent. See above for more. Toby Gerhart will start if Peterson sits again.
* Christian Ponder (hip) believes he'll be able to play, but is also a true game-time call. If Joe Webb ends up getting the nod, all the Vikes' pass-catchers need to be downgraded.
* Kevin Smith (ankle) hasn't been ruled out, but beat writers are not expecting him to play. Look for Maurice Morris to get the start.

FALCONS at PANTHERS
* Julio Jones (hamstring), Michael Turner (groin) and Roddy White (shoulder) are all fine despite some taking some rest this week.
* Greg Olsen (knee) missed practice Wednesday, but is a full go as well.

EAGLES at DOLPHINS
* Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) was downgraded from "probable" to "questionable" on Saturday. He made the trip to Miami, but this is scary. He now looks like a risky game-time call, with Riley Cooper waiting in the wings.
* Michael Vick (ribs) will make his return.

BUCS at JAGUARS
* Josh Freeman (shoulder) is tentatively expected to start, sending Josh Johnson back to the bench.

SAINTS at TITANS
* Mark Ingram (turf toe) is out. Chris Ivory will be active as the Saints stick with their three-headed monster at running back.
* Nate Washington (ankle) is questionable, but is calling his injury a high-ankle sprain. Damian Williams is a stronger play.

4PM GAMES
RAIDERS at PACKERS
* Darren McFadden (foot) remains out with no timetable to return. It's getting to the point where his regular season is in jeopardy. Michael Bush gets the nod again.
* Jacoby Ford (foot), Denarius Moore (foot) and Taiwan Jones (hamstring) are all out. The Raiders starting wideouts will be Darrius Heyward-Bey and Chaz Schilens.
* James Starks (ankle) is out. Ryan Grant and Brandon Saine will share the load, with John Kuhn playing his usual vulture role at the goal line.

49ERS at CARDINALS
* Braylon Edwards (knee) should return to a limited role this week.
* Todd Heap (hamstring) thinks he's turned the corner, but isn't an option until he makes it through a game.
* Beanie Wells (knee, hamstring, thumb) will play but is facing the league's top run defense.

BEARS at BRONCOS
* Matt Forte (knee) is out. Marion Barber will get the majority of work, with Kahlil Bell backing him up.
* Willis McGahee (knee) is fully expected to play. Get him going.
* Eddie Royal (concussion) is questionable, but appears unlikely to play. Demaryius Thomas would start if Royal can't.

BILLS at CHARGERS
* Scott Chandler (ankle) is out. David Nelson and Stevie Johnson get a little boost.
* Rian Lindell (shoulder) is done for the year. Dave Rayner is the Bills' kicker.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
GIANTS at COWBOYS
* Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) and Brandon Jacobs (hamstring) rested on Wednesday and Thursday, but are good to go. Bradshaw came out of last week's game feeling good.
* Mario Manningham (knee) will make his return, but is clearly behind Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in the pecking order.
* Miles Austin (hamstring) makes his return. Meanwhile, Laurent Robinson is dealing with a little shoulder injury. Look for Robinson to act as the No. 3 receiver.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
RAMS at SEAHAWKS
* Sam Bradford (ankle) is on the doubtful side of questionable and A.J. Feeley (thumb) is not expected to play. Tom Brandstater will likely get the start, with Kellen Clemens at the ready.

SURVIVOR PICK OF THE WEEK
If you're still in your Survivor pool, you don't need me. You should consider applying for a MENSA membership.

The most likely winner this week is obviously the Ravens against the lowly Colts. But the smart play is the Seahawks, who will likely be facing third-stringer Tom Brandstater at home on Monday Night Football. Seattle remains one of the most difficult places to play in the league.

MY TOUGHEST DECISION OF THE WEEK
In a 16-team full-PPR league, I made the playoffs. However, my RB2 decision came down to Kahlil Bell or Brandon Saine. There's no reason to whine or complain about how I got into this decision in the biggest game of the year, there's nothing we can do now. Frankly, I feel sick about it. All I can do is make the best call.

Let's look at Week 13 usage. After Matt Forte (knee) went down last week, Marion Barber got 14 touches and Bell got four. After James Starks (ankle) went down last week, Ryan Grant got 11 touches and Brandon Saine got 10.

The only way that usage for Bell is going to rise is if the Bears are trailing big against the Broncos Sunday. I don't see that happening. Vegas has set the over/under for that game at 35.5, the lowest total of the week and one of the lower totals of the year. Bell's pass-catching role isn't a good bet to be highlighted.

So I'll roll with Saine, who figures to share snaps pretty evenly with the washed-up Grant. It's the lesser of two evils.

HacheMan · Dec 11, 2011

Week 14 Rankings Update
The Falcons passing game is out of synch and it doesn’t make a difference.

Fantasy football is sometimes about the most talented players. Sometimes it’s all about the schedule. When it comes to the Falcons, the schedule matters more.

Last week against the Texans, I was discouraged to see Matt Ryan miss four wide open deep shots early in the game. It was rough to see Julio Jones drop three passes, shy away from a hit over the middle, and run the wrong route leading to an interception. Ryan’s protection didn’t hold up. None of that matters this week.

The Falcons hit the fantasy playoff jackpot, with Carolina, Jacksonville and New Orleans over the next three weeks. The Panthers’ laughable defense just lost a few more starters. The Jaguars’ secondary is a shell of its former self because of injuries. And New Orleans can’t create a pass rush no matter how much they blitz.

Atlanta has issues, but they aren’t nearly as big as the teams they are facing. Sometimes you trust talent, and sometimes you trust that terrible defenses will stay terrible.

Week 14 Quarterbacks
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Aaron Rodgers</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Drew Brees</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Tom Brady</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Matthew Stafford</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>Probable(finger)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Cam Newton</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Eli Manning</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Tony Romo</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Philip Rivers</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Matt Ryan</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Michael Vick</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Ben Roethlisberger</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>Sidelined(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Tim Tebow</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Carson Palmer</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Joe Flacco</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Rex Grossman</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Matt Moore</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Ryan Fitzpatrick</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Matt Hasselbeck</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Josh Freeman</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>Questionable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Alex Smith</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Christian Ponder</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Questionable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Joe Webb</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>T.J. Yates</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Mark Sanchez</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Tarvaris Jackson</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>Probable(pectorals)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Andy Dalton</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Kevin Kolb</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Dan Orlovsky</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Caleb Hanie</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Blaine Gabbert</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Colt McCoy</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Sidelined(concussion)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Tyler Palko</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Tom Brandstater</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Kellen Clemens</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

QB Notes: The only risk for Ben Roethlisberger this week is that the Steelers don’t need to pass to win. That held back his numbers last week, and it could be a factor again considering Cleveland’s awful offense and rush defense. … I said it last week, but it’s worth repeating: Carson Palmer’s receivers are a huge problem for him. Unless a few guys surprisingly return to the lineup, I’d be wary of Palmer even in a good matchup. … Tony Romo got terrible protection last week. The Dallas interior line especially could have problems against the Giants. New York will be without Kenny Phillips in their banged-up secondary. One part overlooked in their clock management fiasco: Romo got the ball back at the 35-yard line with 2:54 left with two minutes left. He took a delay of game late. That’s ridiculously bad usage of time.

Kevin Kolb played his best game as a Cardinal against Dallas. I charted only five bad passes out of 25, which is his best ratio in the four games I watched him start this year. Kolb still holds on to the ball too long and takes too many sacks, but that performance provided some hope. … Matthew Stafford is a must start against perhaps the worst secondary in the league. Stafford’s entire playoff schedule sets up well. Stafford looked very sharp on Sunday night against New Orleans – his best game since his finger injury. … Michael Vick worries me against a very good Dolphins defense. This is his lowest ranking of the year, but ultimately he should be in almost all lineups.

Philip Rivers suddenly looked a lot healthier with all his weapons at full strength. His protection won’t hold up most weeks, but it will against the Bills Sunday. … This is arguably Tim Tebow’s toughest matchup yet. The Bears play a disciplined brand of defense that should slow Tebow down. Expect more good, but not great fantasy numbers. … You could do worse than Joe Flacco this week, but the Ravens probably won’t need to throw to win. … Rex Grossman would be my sneaky play of the week. Even without Fred Davis he can put up yards on the Patriots.

The Texans said a lot about T.J. Yates in how they used him. They threw a lot early. They went empty backfield. They let Yates throw downfield the very next play after a pick six was called back from penalty. I was so impressed with Yates’ ability to evade the rush, stay calm in the pocket, and throw on the move. He could have had a bigger day if not for a big Andre Johnson drop. He’s not a fantasy option, but the Texans are better off with Yates than Matt Leinart. … I hit upon the bad parts of Matt Ryan’s game in the intro, but he did hold up against a heavy rush well late in the game. It’s a concern Ryan isn’t really developing, but he should still be used in this matchup.


Week 14 Running Backs

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Ray Rice</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Chris Johnson</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Arian Foster</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Ryan Mathews</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(groin)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Frank Gore</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>DeMarco Murray</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Roy Helu</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>LeGarrette Blount</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Reggie Bush</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Michael Bush</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Shonn Greene</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>C.J. Spiller</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>BenJarvus Green-Ellis</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Ahmad Bradshaw</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Marion Barber</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Pierre Thomas</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Beanie Wells</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Maurice Morris</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Peyton Hillis</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Steven Jackson</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Ben Tate</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Donald Brown</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Mike Tolbert</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Brandon Saine</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Chris Ivory</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Felix Jones</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Toby Gerhart</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Dexter McCluster</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Daniel Thomas</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Joseph Addai</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Ricky Williams</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Kendall Hunter</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Javon Ringer</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Jason Snelling</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Danny Woodhead</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Questionable(abdomen)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>LaDainian Tomlinson</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Jackie Battle</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Montario Hardesty</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>Probable(calf)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Lance Ball</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Bernard Scott</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Stevan Ridley</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Probable(personal)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

RB Notes: The Texans may want to dial back Arian Foster’s workloads a bit with the playoffs looming. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ben Tate more involved this week especially because Foster had 31 carries last week. The Bengals rush defense isn’t playing that well lately. … It’s a mystery to me why the Falcons don’t use Jason Snelling more. They try to run stretch plays with Michael Turner and it just doesn’t work. Against Carolina, however, just about everything should work.

Dallas’ offensive line is getting pushed around up front. That’s a big problem for DeMarco Murray, who is getting hit in the backfield too much. Felix Jones looked good when he touched the ball last week and had a chance at a long catch for a score. Jones ran hard and with more explosiveness than he had early in the year. Don’t be shocked if Murray is de-emphasized a bit this week; he’s not the must start he was a few weeks ago. … I usually stick with Beanie Wells in all scenarios, but not this week. Arizona’s line might be the worst in football and it’s the toughest matchup possible.

We’ll add Adrian Peterson when he returns to practice. Until then, assume he’s out. … It’s a slight concern that Kendall Hunter could get more carries for the 49ers now that the team clinched the division. The Cardinals rush defense is much improved. … I’ve been really impressed with Rashard Mendenhall lately. He’s ready to break out. His blocking usually stinks, but Mendenhall is making a lot of defenders miss in tight spaces. … The Bears are a tough matchup, but Willis McGahee has earned the right to start every week.

This figured to be more of a Darren Sproles week even before Mark Ingram’s toe injury popped up. The Saints may not be playing with a big lead this time. … I feel like Roy Helu’s last two games are part of an elaborate setup by Mike Shanahan to screw fantasy owners. I’m falling for it. The matchups are outstanding throughout the fantasy playoffs. Even if Helu doesn’t run a ton on New England, he should catch 4-5 passes. … Reggie Bush is also set up for a great playoff run. The Eagles can’t tackle and he gets the Bills next week.

Michael Bush showed the last couple of weeks he’s far from matchup proof. This matchup worries me because the Raiders will be playing from behind. The good news is that Bush should stay on the field with Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones still hurt. … The Broncos aren’t that tough of a matchup for Marion Barber. They gave up a huge game to Ryan Mathews two weeks ago, and Toby Gerhart went for over 130 yards from scrimmage on them last week.


Week 14 Wide Receivers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Vincent Jackson</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Mike Wallace</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Roddy White</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Greg Jennings</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Hakeem Nicks</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Victor Cruz</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Jordy Nelson</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Percy Harvin</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Probable(finger)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Brandon Marshall</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>Probable(quadriceps)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Dez Bryant</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Miles Austin</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>A.J. Green</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Julio Jones</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Antonio Brown</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Stevie Johnson</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Mike Williams</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>DeSean Jackson</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Michael Crabtree</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Jeremy Maclin</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Anquan Boldin</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Santana Moss</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Santonio Holmes</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Pierre Garcon</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Reggie Wayne</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Laurent Robinson</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>Questionable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Malcom Floyd</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Brandon Lloyd</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Plaxico Burress</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Lance Moore</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Eric Decker</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Torrey Smith</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Damian Williams</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Golden Tate</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Chaz Schilens</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Johnny Knox</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Jabar Gaffney</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Mario Manningham</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Brandon LaFell</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Deion Branch</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>Questionable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Demaryius Thomas</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Doug Baldwin</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Darrius Heyward-Bey</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>Questionable(neck)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Greg Little</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Steve Breaston</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Andre Roberts</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Vincent Brown</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Brad Smith</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Devin Aromashodu</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Earl Bennett</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>David Nelson</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Kevin Walter</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>Questionable(illness)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Jerome Simpson</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>Donald Driver</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

WR Notes: Dez Bryant frustrates even in his good games. He dropped two passes last week and seemed to run a wrong route another time. You still have to play him despite Miles Austin’s return. … You don’t have to play Laurent Robinson. He’s more of a WR3 now, although the Cowboys should still keep him on the field plenty assuming he’s healthy. I’d play Austin. Don’t think too hard about it. The matchup is right. … Kevin Kolb tried to hit Larry Fitzgerald deep only once last week. Fitz couldn’t make a tough catch. Here’s to hoping Kolb is more aggressive this week.

Steve Smith’s slowdown has reached the point where it’s become a topic in Carolina. That’s a good sign; Cam Newton will probably try to force it to him this week. … A.J. Green keeps beating tough matchups. Even against Houston, he should be in almost all lineups. … Patrick Peterson will get assigned Michael Crabtree this week. Peterson is making strides as a cornerback, but that’s a matchup Crabtree should be able to win enough. … We ranked Brandon Lloyd so low last week because we doubted the Rams could score a touchdown. That doubt remains. … I worry about Jeremy Maclin making it through four quarters.

Roddy White still has it. He beat Johnathan Joseph a number of times last week. White had a key drop and Matt Ryan missed him deep twice, but the potential was there for a big day. … Darrelle Revis + Tyler Palko = major problems for Dwayne Bowe. … Santonio Holmes has been a matchup play lately and the matchup isn’t great. … Santana Moss is a sneaky play this week, but don’t expect big plays. The Redskins are using him as a possession receiver. He’s lost a lot of speed.

Malcom Floyd is a great WR3 this week. He never stays healthy for long, but he eats up smaller cornerbacks when he is right. … I like Anquan Boldin against Indy’s small secondary. … Golden Tate is a fine reserve at this stage, but he’s too hit or miss to use even against the Rams. The Seahawks won’t need to throw much. Tate is more of a gadget player than a true every down receiver.


Week 14 Tight Ends

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Rob Gronkowski</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jimmy Graham</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>Probable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Antonio Gates</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Jason Witten</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Jermichael Finley</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Brandon Pettigrew</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Aaron Hernandez</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Vernon Davis</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Dustin Keller</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Anthony Fasano</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Ed Dickson</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Dallas Clark</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>Questionable(leg)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Jared Cook</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Jermaine Gresham</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Marcedes Lewis</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Jake Ballard</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Tony Scheffler</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Visanthe Shiancoe</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>Questionable(hand)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Ben Watson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Jacob Tamme</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

TE Notes: Owen Daniels should be T.J. Yates’ primary receiver a lot Sunday and the matchup is right against the Bengals’ safeties. … Dallas Clark is practicing again. With Dan Orlovsky helping the Colts passing attack, Clark could be a decent option next week against the Titans. It’s hard to get excited about him against the Ravens. Wesseling pointed out in Waiver Wired that Baltimore has been death to tight ends. … Antonio Gates looks a little better every week. A big game could be coming.

Tony Gonzalez still has one of the best sets of hands in football. It was impressive and surprising to see Gonzo make a few defenders miss with his change of direction skills last week. Gonzalez has the speed of a 15-year veteran, but he still runs incredible routes. We were wrong about his decline heading into this year. He could easily top 1,000 yards. … Minnesota’s secondary is such a joke that it’s easy to see the Lions putting up 40 points this week. Brandon Pettigrew is a better play than usual. … I’d give Anthony Fasano a slight edge over Ed Dickson as a waiver pickup.

Week 14 Team Defense

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Fortyniners Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Ravens Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Jets Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Steelers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Bears Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Seahawks Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Texans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Dolphins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Packers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Giants Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Broncos Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Bengals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Patriots Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Lions Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Buccaneers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Falcons Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Eagles Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Chargers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Cowboys Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Saints Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Rams Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Cardinals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Jaguars Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Bills Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Vikings Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Panthers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Chiefs Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Colts Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Titans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Redskins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Raiders Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Browns Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Week 14 Kickers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>David Akers</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jason Hanson</TD><TD>vs. MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Stephen Gostkowski</TD><TD>at WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Mason Crosby</TD><TD>vs. OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>John Kasay</TD><TD>at TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Sebastian Janikowski</TD><TD>at GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Matt Bryant</TD><TD>at CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Billy Cundiff</TD><TD>vs. IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Dan Bailey</TD><TD>vs. NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Rob Bironas</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Ryan Longwell</TD><TD>at DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Nick Folk</TD><TD>vs. KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Lawrence Tynes</TD><TD>at DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Olindo Mare</TD><TD>vs. ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Matt Prater</TD><TD>vs. CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Steven Hauschka</TD><TD>vs. STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Neil Rackers</TD><TD>at CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Shaun Suisham</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Alex Henery</TD><TD>at MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Nick Novak</TD><TD>vs. BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Connor Barth</TD><TD>at JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Robbie Gould</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Dan Carpenter</TD><TD>vs. PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Mike Nugent</TD><TD>vs. HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Josh Scobee</TD><TD>vs. TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Dave Rayner</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Graham Gano</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Adam Vinatieri</TD><TD>at BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Josh Brown</TD><TD>at SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Phil Dawson</TD><TD>at PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Ryan Succop</TD><TD>at NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Jay Feely</TD><TD>vs. SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Dec 12, 2011

DeMarco Deleted

For a while it looked like Greg Jennings’ knee was going to be the most significant injury-related headline of Week 14, but that was before DeMarco Murray left Sunday night’s game in the first quarter with a devastating setback for Dallas, and for fantasy owners: a season-ending broken right ankle.

It’s problematic news for Dallas’ backfield, but a huge boost for the fantasy value of Felix Jones, who looked impressive Sunday night (22 touches, 137 yards, one lost fumble), and is suddenly a must-start for as long as he can stay healthy, beginning with a tremendous matchup against Tampa Bay on Saturday.

In other injury news…

Green Bay’s win blowout win over Oakland on Sunday was an absolute laugher, except for one large non-laughing matter: Greg Jennings was carted off the field with a right knee injury in the third quarter.

Jennings is headed for an MRI on Monday, but the early word on that injury (which ProFootballTalk referred to as “unconfirmed” as of Sunday night) was that Jennings suffered a torn MCL. If that prognosis proves accurate, Jennings is very much in doubt for the remainder of the regular season, which is consistent with beat writer Ty Dunne’s report that Aaron Rodgers was hoping after Sunday's game that Jennings could return for the NFL playoffs.

With the Green Bay WR1 seemingly headed for a multi-week absence, Donald Driver, James Jones, Randall Cobb (and Jordy Nelson) all stand to benefit, with Driver (4 rec, 75 yards) looking like the best play of the group for Week 15, unless you’re willing to gamble on the erratic and maddening Jones (2 rec, 29 yards on Sunday).

Meanwhile, Matt Hasselbeck (strained calf) is headed for an MRI. That sounds worrisome, but on a more optimistic note, Hasselbeck returned to the field for one play in the fourth quarter, and said (per beat writer Jim Wyatt) that he could have finished the game if necessary. It sounds like Hasselbeck may be okay, but rookie first-round pick Jake Locker was impressive (if slightly erratic) in relief (13-for-29, 282 yards, TD; 6 rush, 36 yards, TD), and would be worth adding in two-QB leagues and deeper single-QB formats if Hasselbeck is unable to go in Week 15.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

In other QB injury news, Kevin Kolb left Sunday’s game in the first quarter after taking a knee to the back of the head. John Skelton replaced Kolb, not only engineering a win over the 49ers (19-for-28, 282 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs), but also helping to facilitate Larry Fitzgerald’s first 100-plus yard game since a Skelton-to-Fitzgerald eruption in Week 10 (7 rec, 149 yards, TD). There’s little doubt at this point that Skelton gives Fitzgerald a higher ceiling on any given week, but as of Sunday night it was too early to say whether Kolb would be healthy enough to reclaim his starting job in Week 15.

Also leaving with a concussion: Dolphins QB Matt Moore (11-for-19, 95 yards, TD, INT), resulting in J.P. Losman’s first game action since 2009 (6-for-10, 60 yards). Losman’s continued presence would represent a downgrade for Miami’s receivers, but there is optimism on that front, with the Palm Beach Post reporting that Moore’s concussion could be of the “low grade” variety. Stay tuned for updates once practices begin this week.

Jimmy Graham (back spasms) gave fantasy owners (and the Saints) a pre-game scare when he was slow to come out of the locker room, but he was able to play through his back trouble, finishing with five catches for 55 yards. The Saints would be wise to give Graham some time off from practice, but as of now fantasy owners should be optimistic that he’ll be ready for the Vikings in Week 15. (Update: Graham is headed for an MRI, but the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that he's planning to play on Sunday regardless.)

Deion Branch left Sunday’s win in the fourth quarter with a groin injury. No word as of Sunday night on his Week 15 outlook, but with the inconsistent WR being held catch-less on Sunday, fantasy owners won’t want to be relying on Branch even if he’s able to play against Denver next week.

Nate Washington went berserk on Sunday (6 rec, 130 yards, TD), but did so while playing through a troublesome ankle. The key issue for Washington will be how much the ankle swells up, and his status for an appealing matchup with the Colts likely won’t be clear until the middle to latter part of the week.

Maurice Morris (five touches, 16 yards) was limited by a chest injury, making Keiland Williams (14 touches, 60 yards) the featured back during much of Sunday’s win. It’s encouraging that Morris, although limited, was able to play through the injury, but a healthy Kevin Smith would be the only Lions back truly worth relying on in Week 15.

Packers RB Brandon Saine (3 touches, 21 yards) left in the second quarter with a concussion. Saine’s status for Sunday is currently unclear, but with Ryan Grant suddenly (and shockingly) looking as nimble as he has in some time (11 touches, 98 yards, two TDs), Saine wouldn’t be a high-upside Week 15 play even if healthy.

Other Injury Notes: Stevie Johnson suffered a hand injury ... Per the San Francisco Chronicle, Hue Jackson confirmed that Darren McFadden has a Lisfranc injury, but still believes the RB will return before the end of the season ... The St. Petersburg Times reports that Josh Freeman played through pain in his injured throwing shoulder on Sunday, a situation to monitor if you’re relying on Freeman in a deeper (or two-QB) format … Jaguars WR Mike Thomas saw his day end early due to a concussion … Titans beat writer Jim Wyatt reports that backup RB Javon Ringer (finger) had his hand in a cast after Sunday’s game.

Editor’s note: If you want to draft a new fantasy team, check out SnapDraft here.

Defense/Offensive Line Injuries: Dolphins LT Jake Long left with a back injury … The Broncos lost SS Brian Dawkins (neck) and CB Andre’ Goodman (concussion) … Standout Bengals’ run blocker Bobbie Williams may be done for the year due to an ankle injury … Justin Tuck played through a toe injury … DeMarcus Ware left in the fourth quarter with an apparent shoulder stinger, but only missed one series … The Cowboys lost C Phil Costa due to a concussion, forcing rookie free agent Kevin Kowalski into action … Chargers DE Jacques Cesaire was carted off with a left ankle injury … Redskins RT Jammal Brown injured his groin during pre-game warmups… Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins suffered a shoulder injury … 49ers LT Joe Staley left with a head injury … Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that Jets FS Jim Leonhard (knee) is done for the season.

HacheMan · Dec 12, 2011

Green Bay's Brass Ring

A few weeks back, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Bob McGinn offered his educated opinion that coach Mike McCarthy would play “extremely hard” while gunning for an undefeated season against the Bears and Lions in Weeks 16 and 17. “They remember what Lovie Smith did to them in the regular season finale last year,” explained McGinn. “Lovie didn’t need it for anything and he played it to the hilt, tried to knock the Packers out, played it for the rivalry. It was a great moment for Lovie Smith and Bears and they almost won that game. I think McCarthy will play it.”

The stakes in the race for that 19-0 season were raised, though, following Greg Jennings’ MCL injury on Sunday. CBS analyst Phil Simms suggesting shortly after Jennings’ exit that the injury would affect the playing time of Packers starters the rest of the way. McCarthy acknowledged in the post-game presser that he “wanted to get the heck out of [Sunday’s blowout victory] due to injury risk,” but insisted the Packers “don’t play scared.”

The Packers players, ostensibly taking their cue from the head coach, made it clear that the undefeated season is their new brass ring after taking the Super Bowl last season. "I think we're going to go for this thing,'' NT B.J. Raji said, of the perfect season. "I mean, obviously if you're up 34-0, you're going to pull (quarterback) Aaron Rodgers. That's a no-brainer. That's playing smart. But ultimately, just being a competitor, you want to try and do something that hasn't been done in a while. We have the talent and the capabilities, so why not go for it? You want to do it for each other and do it for our fans and for the organization. It's not my decision who plays and who doesn't, but I think I can speak for coach, and he's going to try and go for this thing.''

“You don’t win a Super Bowl by being scared,” Raji added. “You just play. That’s the message [McCarthy] is preaching. Just play the game because . . . that’s the way you’re supposed to play it. You’re not supposed to be playing a game and looking at all of these scenarios of who you want to play. That’s not how football is supposed to be played.”

Asked what he expects of McCarthy’s philosophy the final three weeks, future Hall of Famer and team leader Charles Woodson responded, "I know we're going to play to win, that's all I know. … Nothing’s going to stop this train. That’s our thought. We understand guys are going to go down. No excuses.”'

In fantasy terms, we can expect the Packers’ approach to be closer to that of the 2007 Patriots than the 2009 Colts. McCarthy will go full-throttle early in the final three games against the Chiefs, Bears, and Lions. Ideally, he can begin substituting in the third and fourth quarters in an effort to keep his impact players healthy. In most cases, three quarters of Aaron Rodgers or Jordy Nelson is better than the alternative riding your bench.

Game Balls

Patriots 6’7” tight end Rob Gronkowski told the Monday Night Football crew a few weeks back that he’s playing at 275 pounds this season. How is a linebacker or safety supposed to stop that runaway train? The answer to that question was never more evident than on this series of tackle-breaking plays in Gronk’s career-high 160 yards against the Redskins.

Arguably the toughest cover in the league right now, Gronkowski came within just one yard of Ben Coats’ 1994 single-game record for receiving yards while posting a ridiculous 120 yards after the catch and 83 yards after contact on Sunday. His 25 receiving touchdowns through two seasons are tied with Bullet Bob Hayes for the third-most all-time, just four behind Bill Groman’s 29 with the AFL upstart Houston Oilers from 1961-62. The most reliable red-zone weapon in the league now has 11 touchdowns on passes thrown into the end zone, five more than the next closest receiver.

Gronkowski's last 16 regular season games have produced a line of 82 catches, 1,269 yards, and 19 touchdowns. This season, he’s on pace for 87 catches, 1339 yards, and 20 total touchdowns, which would put him in rare 20-TD air with Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.

The trigger man for an offense on its way to the best ever seasons by both a tight end and slot receiver (Wes Welker) made the wrong kind of news for a sideline kerfuffle with his offensive coordinator. Forget that nonsense. These dustups in the heat of the battle are always overblown. Brady’s three touchdowns moved him past Hall of Famer Warren Moon for the sixth-most in NFL history. Next on the list is John Elway, and it just so happens that Brady squares off with Elway’s squad in a marquee Week 15 matchup at Denver.

Maurice Jones-Drew - With 37 standard-scoring fantasy points and a personal best four touchdowns, MJD was the fantasy MVP of Week 14. His passing-game role on the rise since change-of-pace back Deji Karim hit the doghouse, Jones-Drew is carrying a heavier workload and landing more opportunities for big plays out in space. With just three games to go, Jones-Drew is the NFL rushing leader despite facing eight in the box all season due to the worst quarterback situation in the league. Sailing past Fred Taylor’s franchise record of 70 touchdowns, MJD now has 73 in 90 career games (0.81 per game).

“It means a lot,” Jones-Drew said of setting the franchise touchdown record. “To break a record that Fred set, it means a bunch. Words can’t explain how excited I am to have a guy that mentored me the whole time, taught me how to play this game the right way, how to take care of my body and do those things.”

Eli Manning - With his league-leading sixth fourth-quarter comeback victory of the year, Eli has now tied two Colts QBs -- his brother and Johnny Unitas -- with a record 14 touchdowns in the final frame of one season. “Talk about a guy who has elevated his game,” LT David Diehl said of Eli’s 8-of-11 for 122 yards and seven first downs on the Giants’ final two touchdown drives. Elevated game? In Manning’s first seven seasons, he had just eight games with more than 315 passing yards. In 2011, he’s averaging 315 yards per game. Over his past three games, Eli is averaging a robust 384.3 yards per, establishing a career-high of 4,105 through 13 games. With 327 yards per over the final three weeks, Manning can bypass Dan Marino’s record of 5,084 yards. The only problem is Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and/or Aaron Rodgers will beat him to it. Eli will have to settle for control of the NFC East until the rematch with the Cowboys in the season finale.

Matt Ryan / Julio Jones - As has been the case for three months, Ryan needed the no-huddle attack to jump-start the offense. Down 23-7 at halftime, the Falcons came out for the third quarter planning to exploit Jones’ matchup advantage on Panthers CB Darius Butler. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Jones failed to come up with one jumpball in the end zone, had another knocked out of his hands, and slipped just shy of the goal-line on a potential score. Ryan stuck with his explosive rookie, though, and Jones made it pay off with two touchdowns. He dove over Butler at the goal-line for a 17-yard score, then broke Butler's tackle and raced 75 yards for a second TD.

Jones joined Randy Moss as just the second rookie in NFL history with 100 receiving yards, a 30+ average, and two TDs of 75 yards in two different games. "Julio had an unbelievable second half,'' Ryan said. "He's a special player.'' Too explosive to bench in fantasy leagues, Jones is now a top-20 receiver in points per week while leading all rookies with 100 yards in four of ten games. Ryan has hit 300 yards or 2+ TDs in four of the past five games. He’s comfortable maintaining QB1 status.

Drew Brees / Marques Colston - Playing outdoors against a defense laying it on the line, Brees completed 36-of-47 passes (76.6 percent) for 337 yars and two fourth-quarter strikes of 35 and 28 yards to Colston to extend his touchdown streak to 40 games. Brees has now matched himself (2008) and Rich Gannon (2002) with double-digit 300-yard games in the same season. Before 2011, no other season had ever seen three QBs reach 4,000 yards by the end of Week 14. With Brees leading the pack at 4,368 yards, four QBs managed the feat this season (Brady 4,273, Aaron Rodgers 4,125, and Manning 4,105). Averaging 336 yards per game, Brees is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s single-season record with 5,376 yards.

Larry Fitzgerald - NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi wonders if Kevin Kolb is more accurately described as a “China Doll” or “Bust” in Arizona. Either way, it’s clear at this point that John Skelton is better for Fitzgerald’s fantasy value -- even with the attendant faceplant risk. Through another season of undercertainty under center, Fitz is an impressive sixth in fantasy points while on pace for 1,343 yards and nine TDs.

Shonn Greene - Greene’s 187 scrimmage yards were easily the most of his career, taking full advantage of a game that was already in the bag at 28-3 late in the second quarter. The Jets ground game is hitting its peak in December, as 51 of Greene’s 141 (36.2 percent) fantasy points this season have come in the last two games. He has plus matchups the next two games as well against the Eagles and Giants, two teams that allowed 100-yard rushers in Week 14.

Belichick on Football

One of the small joys of working the Friday morning news shift is seeing the tweets from Patriots beat writers @RapSheet, @shalisemyoung, @MikeReiss, and @jeffphowe as Bill Belichick takes the scowl off his face and raps with the local media on the state of his team and the finer points of the game. Last Friday’s bull session was perhaps the most illuminating of the year.

Via the Boston Herald, Belichick on experimenting with offensive players such as Troy Brown, Julian Edelman, or Matt Slater on defense:

“At whatever point a coach takes a player from offense and puts him on defense, there is usually a reason for that. I would say the reason usually is that he’s not enough of a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. What coach is going to take your best playmaker and put him on defense? You just wouldn’t do that, all the things being equal. If the guy can’t catch but he’s a good athlete or he’s everything but he doesn’t have great hands, at some point you get a receiver who is a better pass catcher and you put this guy over on defense.”

Belichick on defensive players deluded themselves into thinking they could help on offense:

“I tell the defensive players all the time, ‘Don’t kid yourself. If you were a big enough playmaker, you would have stayed on offense. Either at the high school or the college level they would have put you out there and you’d be out there having 100 yard receiving game or 150 yard rushing games. You’d be doing that. Don’t kid yourself.’ It’s like the defensive specialist in basketball, if you were that good of a shooter, you’d be the point guard but you’re not so start covering these guys or we’ll get somebody else in there.”

Belichick, a former Amherst center, on offensive linemen:

“You have a good football player, he’s tough, he’s physical, he’s smart, he uses his hands well, he has good power he has good balance but he doesn’t run well, what do you do with him? You make him an offensive linemen. That’s his last stop. I tell the offensive linemen that too – ‘If you could run, you’d be on defense.’ Why are you on offense? Because you don’t run well enough to play on defense.”

Committee Report

Packers - Ryan Grant (11 touches, 98 yards, 2 TDs) / John Kuhn (10 carries, 46 yards) / Brandon Saine (3 touches, 21 yards)

Where was this the past two months? Grant broke a tackle and went 47 yards to the house on the Packers' first play from scrimmage. It was the longest Green Bay run of the season, and Grant's first over 10 yards in 67 carries and nine weeks. Although he was awfully slow to turn the corner, Grant was able to stick his foot in the ground and get downhill between the tackles. He started and played as the lead back for as long as Rodgers remained in the game. The majority of Kuhn’s work came in garbage time, as the Packers jumped out to a 31-0 halftime lead. Saine played as Grant’s change-of-pace before exiting with a concussion in the second quarter. With James Starks’ (ankle) status up in the air for Week 15, Grant could be a low-end RB2 option at Kansas City.

Giants - Brandon Jacobs (19 carries, 101 yards, 2 TDs) / Ahmad Bradshaw (9 touches, 19 yards)

Jacobs produced his first 100-yard performance in a full year thanks to Bradshaw’s first-half benching for a violation of team rules. Jacobs ran wild in the first half with 62 yards on 13 carries, but rotated evenly with Bradshaw in the second half. Although Bradshaw looked better than his numbers would suggest, he and Jacobs are both in RB2/flex territory for Week 15 versus the Redskins.

Panthers - DeAngelo Williams (8 touches, 78 yards, TD) / Jonathan Stewart (12 touches, 56 yards)

It was Williams’ turn to outproduce Stewart, thanks to a 74-yard touchdown run -- the longest by more than 40 yards against Atlanta this season. Outside of that run, it was all Stewart, who led the team with nine targets in the passing game. Both backs are mere flex plays against the Texans’ league-leading defense in Week 15. If forced to choose between the two, we’re still going with Stewart. He’s the better talent and sees more touches of late.

Saints - Chris Ivory (13 carries, 53 yards) / Darren Sproles (12 touches, 91 yards) / Pierre Thomas (12 touches, 57 yards)

Just as he did as a rookie, Ivory ran with power while filling in for Mark Ingram on obvious running downs. Ivory’s Week 15 role depends on Ingram’s availability. Thomas rotated with Ivory on early downs but came off the field in short-yardage situations. Sproles continued his role as the primary passing-down back, now averaging 5.7 catches and 44.6 yards per game on the season.

Lions - Keiland Williams (14 touches, 60 yards) / Maurice Morris (5 touches, 16 yards)

Morris barely saw the field after a second-quarter chest injury seemed to affect his ball-carrying arm. Williams took over as the feature back the rest of the way, but showed no explosion or burst while getting no more than what was blocked. Kevin Smith (ankle) has a good chance to return in Week 15 at Oakland, which would leave the pedestrian combo of Morris and Williams without value.

Colts - Donald Brown (10 touches, 22 yards ) / Delone Carter (5 carries, 6 yards) / Joseph Addai (2 carries, 16 yards)

Brown started over the veteran Addai for the first time this season, with Carter mixed in as a change-of-pace option. Expect Brown to continue to see the majority of the playing time down the stretch. He’s not only been Indy’s most effective back, but he also has a better chance of returning in 2012 than Addai does in a potential rebuilding season. Carter has shown nothing of late.

Patriots - Danny Woodhead (9 touches, 45 yards) / BenJarvus Green-Ellis (5 carries, 19 yards) / Kevin Faulk (4 touches, 12 yards)

The Pats went with a pass-heavy approach, leaving Woodhead as the primary back. As always, Bill Belichick’s backfield depends on game plan, matchups and momentum, leaving all Patriots backs as high-risk fantasy plays. Green-Ellis remains the most valuable of the bunch as he scores the majority of the touchdowns.

Chiefs - Jackie Battle (12 touches, 59 yards) / Thomas Jones (5 carries, 12 yards) / Dexter McCluster (4 carries, 1 yard)

Battle produced his best game in over a month only because the Jets sat back in zone coverage while protecting a prohibitive lead in the second half. Jones’ role was scaled back once the Chiefs went into comeback mode. McCluster’s Week 14 breakout game was a fluke -- as expected.

Injury Ward

Matt Hasselbeck, Titans - Calf
Kevin Kolb, Cardinals - Concussion
Matt Moore, Dolphins - Concussion
Josh Freeman, Bucs - Shoulder
DeMarco Murray, Cowboys - Broken Ankle
Maurice Morris, Lions - Chest
Brandon Saine, Packers - Concussion
Javon Ringer, Titans - Finger
Greg Jennings, Packers - MCL Sprain
Stevie Johnson, Bills - Hand
Jeremy Maclin, Eagles - Hamstring
Deion Branch, Patriots - Groin
Mike Thomas, Jaguars - Concussion
Jimmy Graham, Saints - Back
Jim Leonhard, Jets - Knee

Check out Matt Stroup’s “DeMarco Deleted” for in-depth analysis of Sunday’s M*A*S*H unit fallout.

Awards Section

Stat of the Week: In Tim Tebow’s eight 2011 starts, the Broncos have outscored opponents by just six points while managing a 7-1 record. Denver was 4-14 in their past 18 games before Tebow took over.

Runner-Up: Eagles DE Jason Babin is the first player in NFL history with zero 12-sack seasons in his 20s and two 12-sack seasons in his 30s.

Second Runner-Up: Wes Welker joins Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison as the only players in NFL history with four 100-catch seasons.

Quote of the Week: Vikings DE Jared Allen explains punching Ray Edwards in the groin: “Ray is obviously a former teammate and friend of mine. I told him before the snap that he’s known for blowing up the long snapper on the field goal. So I told him: ‘You run me over here, I’m going to punch you square in your wiener, dude.’”

Runner-Up: Profootballtalk’s Mike Florio on Marion Barber’s late-game miscues against Tebow and the magical Broncos: “How can guys like Barber not sense, consciously or otherwise, that they’re simply killing time with the Washington Generals while the Great Football Fan in the Sky gets ready to throw a bucket of confetti on someone sitting in the front row?”

Second Runner-Up: Ryan Mathews, speaking on behalf of his fantasy owners, regarding Mike Tolbert’s red-zone role: “I just let it fly and tried to get to the end zone. If I’d have gotten caught, the vulture would have come in and put it in. So I tried to finish it off.”

Third Runner-Up: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh on venerable halfback and team leader Frank Gore: “I’ve never seen anything like him to be honest with you. I can’t compare him to any other player that I’ve ever been around. ... Then, when you add up the injuries he’s had, some of the serious knee, shoulder, hip-type of injuries, lesser guys would have called it a career, let alone to come back and having the kind of year that Frank is having. He’s a different guy. He’s not normal. He’s not you and me. No, he’s not any of us. Not the normal guy. There are super human powers there. There should be a statue to Frank. Maybe with the new stadium. There should be something somewhere. A life-size statue of him in one of those cool positions he gets in. About six inches off the ground, or a leg going one way, and the other going the other, twisting and turning. It’s just so cool. It’s just so cool to slow the tape down and watch what he does.”

Tweet of the Week: From @allie_yoder after yet another comeback victory for Denver: “Tim Tebow: Most talked about white Bronco since O.J.”

Runner-Up: From @patycake15 of @ThePigskinArch, channeling Arnold Jackson on the Browns’ backfield: “What you sulkin’ about, Hillis?”

Second Runner-Up: ESPN NFC West blogger Mike Sando and the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows on Ben Roethlisberger, whose unquestioned toughness is often accompanied by drama queen tendencies on injuries: “I prefer ‘Beneral Hospital’ RT@espn_nfcwest: Let the 11-day soap opera begin. As Big Ben's Ankle Turns.”

Fantasy MVP of Week 14: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars / Rob Gronkowski, Patriots

Fantasy Breakout Player of Week 14: Felix Jones, Cowboys

Fantasy Rookie of Week 14: Julio Jones, Falcons

Fantasy Disappointment of Week 14: Jermichael Finley, Packers / Calvin Johnson, Lions

Fantasy Fraud of Week 14: Malcom Floyd, Chargers / Colts Offense

Fantasy Fluke of Week 14: Ryan Grant, Packers

Fine Fifteen Fantasy Offenses

1. Patriots
2. Packers
3. Falcons
4. Eagles
5. Saints
6. Chargers
7. Cowboys
8. Lions
9. Giants
10. Steelers
11. Panthers
12. Vikings
13. Ravens
14. Jets
15. Raiders

Early Waiver Look

QB: Jake Locker, Rex Grossman, T.J. Yates, John Skelton
RB: Felix Jones, Chris Ivory, Montario Hardesty, Kahlil Bell, Chauncey Washington, Keiland Williams
WR: Demaryius Thomas, Jabar Gaffney, James Jones, Donald Driver, Randall Cobb, Titus Young
TE: Dallas Clark, Jake Ballard, Evan Moore, Anthony Fasano, Marcedes Lewis

HacheMan · Dec 12, 2011

MNF Matchup: Rams @ Seahawks
Monday Night Football

St. Louis @ Seattle

This sorry excuse for a prime-time game contains just one surefire fantasy starter. (This Matchup breakdown is brief not because Rotoworld is lazy, but because there just isn't much to discuss.) Marshawn Lynch is breaking tackles at a prolific rate, and his workloads are enormous. Over the past five weeks, Lynch leads the league with 128 carries. Michael Bush entered Week 14 second with 113, and DeMarco Murray's 101 were a distant third. No NFL back has scored more fantasy points than Lynch during that span. Neither of these teams is likely to score many points on Monday, but Lynch is easily the best bet for touchdowns on either side. The Rams still rank dead last in run defense, and are permitting 4.99 yards a carry. ... Behind Lynch, the only Seahawks skill player worth a fantasy look is Golden Tate. Tate started in a three-receiver set last Thursday, playing 51-of-59 snaps and leading Seattle in targets and receiving. Mike Williams, Doug Baldwin, and Ben Obomanu were rotating part-timers against the Eagles. Williams played the most behind Tate.

In three career matchups with Pete Carroll's Seahawks, Steven Jackson has managed 157 yards on 48 carries (3.27 YPC). He's yet to score a touchdown against Carroll's team. Also appearing to wear down late this season, Jackson has 124 yards on his last 42 carries (2.95 YPC) and no TDs since Week 8. Jackson is an undesirable option for fantasy playoff teams. ... Apparently, the Rams expect Sam Bradford to start despite a setback with his high ankle sprain two weeks ago. If Bradford doesn't perform well in pre-game warmups, Tom Brandstater would get the nod. For now, our assumption is that it will be Bradford. ... In nine starts this season, Bradford is 179-of-328 (54.6%) for 1,971 yards with six touchdowns and 12 turnovers. He's clearly regressed in OC Josh McDaniels' system while playing behind a rag-tag offensive line. ... Brandon Lloyd owners should still feel better with Bradford under center because he's targeted St. Louis' top receiver relentlessy since Lloyd's October acquisition from Denver. No other Rams receiver has carried fantasy value.

Score Prediction: Seahawks 20, Rams 10

HacheMan · Dec 12, 2011

Instant Impressions: Week 14

Murray, Jennings injuries among biggest stories as fantasy playoffs begin

By Christopher Harris
ESPN.com

• DeMarco Murray was just cruising early Sunday night: 25 yards on five carries, the last of which brought praise from Cris Collinsworth for its ferocity. Unfortunately, it's the last Murray carry we'll see in 2011. He broke his ankle in the first quarter against the New York Giants and is out for the season. It was a meteoric rise and an even more precipitous fall for Murray, who was known as a leg injury waiting to happen at Oklahoma (though it's rather uncharitable of me to compare a fractured ankle to the strains and sprains that dogged him in Norman). Murray can obviously be dropped in re-draft leagues, while Felix Jones should be added in all leagues. Jones had 137 yards from scrimmage on 22 touches Sunday night, and while he hasn't exactly been Mr. Durability in his NFL career, he's the only guy the Cowboys have left. Phillip Tanner was placed on IR last week with a hamstring problem, so Jones was literally the only healthy tailback left on the Dallas roster for three quarters Sunday night. The Dallas Cowboys will no doubt add a veteran backup, but they'll sink or swim with Jones the rest of the way. He's available in nearly 30 percent of ESPN.com leagues.

• Greg Jennings also suffered a devastating injury for fantasy owners. A play after he nearly caught a TD (with the Green Bay Packers winning 31-0), Jennings caught a short pass and appeared to go down harmlessly, but apparently he messed up his right knee pretty good. As of this writing, it was unclear whether this is a ligament tear or a sprain, but either way, there's a significant chance we won't see Jennings again during the fantasy playoffs. Harsh. Jordy Nelson obviously ascends to the No. 1 receiving job, and one might imagine that the uber-disappointing Jermichael Finley might get involved some, too, though you'd never know it by his zero catches versus the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The real question is which other wideout might benefit. Believe it or not, Donald Driver was more involved in Sunday's win than James Jones, and don't forget that rookie Randall Cobb is on hand, too. Jones is available in around 40 percent of leagues, Driver is available in about 80 percent, and Cobb is available in about 95 percent. Jones has been so incredibly up and down lately that I'm loath to recommend him as a must-add. I don't think we have a clear direct beneficiary to Jennings' injury just yet.

• Ahmad Bradshaw reportedly violated team rules heading into Week 14, and was benched for the first half of Sunday night's comeback victory over the Cowboys. Terrific. I suppose the good news is that Bradshaw's absence wasn't related to his broken foot, and he did play in the second half. But he wound up with a miserable 12 yards on eight carries, while Brandon Jacobs severely outplayed him for a second straight week (19 carries, 101 yards, two TDs). One imagines the workload will be a bit more evenly distributed if Bradshaw can de-knucklehead himself in advance of next week's tilt versus the Washington Redskins, but it's impossible to consider him a No. 2 fantasy back right now. He and Jacobs both live in flex-land for the moment.

• Jimmy Graham played through a painful back injury Sunday, and while Rob Gronkowski was busy shrugging off Redskins tacklers and setting a single-season record for TD receptions by a tight end, Graham was hobbling around to the tune of five catches for 55 quiet yards. The good news is that Graham was able to play through what he told reporters was severe pain, and he promised to be out there again versus the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15. Unfortunately, some of his fantasy owners might not be alive for that game to matter.

• So now we can let up a little bit on the whole "Chris Johnson is back" movement, right? CJ1K had 23 yards on 11 carries Sunday against a New Orleans Saints run defense that according to my calculations should've been a slightly favorable matchup for him. That's not to say Johnson looked awful; honestly, I haven't watched the tape yet. But the results clearly weren't there, and Jake Locker vultured a 6-yard TD run. If you survived this terrible statistical output as a CJ1K owner, there's good news ahead, because Johnson plays against the Indianapolis Colts next week, and he's shown he's still capable of taking advantage of spectacular matchups like that one. But after that comes a Jacksonville Jaguars D that's been better lately against the run than you think, and he ends in Week 17 versus a very difficult Houston Texans run D.

• I can tell you one thing: Calvin Johnson will not be my No. 1 wideout for Week 15. It's mostly not Megatron's fault, but he's devolved to the point where Matthew Stafford pretty much uses him as a highly-paid decoy. Johnson gets so much attention from opposing defenses, it's borderline comical, especially in the red zone. We're not talking about a safety rolling in his direction. We're literally talking about two players lining up across from him at the line of scrimmage. (Call it the Antonio Gates treatment.) There's a reason Titus Young was that open Sunday versus the Vikings. Johnson had four targets Sunday, after seeing eight the previous three weeks. The problem with this strategy for NFL defenses is that it doesn't work: Stafford is eminently capable of taking advantage of playing 10-on-9 and killing you. The problem with this strategy for fantasy owners is Megatron hasn't exceeded 90 yards receiving in five straight games, and has only one TD in that time.

• All Larry Fitzgerald needs is to get the heck rid of Kevin Kolb. Kolb suffered a concussion early in the Arizona Cardinals' upset of the San Francisco 49ers, and in marched John Skelton, who made that otherworldly 49ers defense look entirely mortal. Skelton went 19-of-28 for 282 yards, three TDs and two picks Sunday, and threw several lovely deep passes to Fitz that the all-world wideout corralled for a huge day: 149 yards and a score on seven grabs. It's not often a consistently aesthetic masterpiece when Skelton is in there, but he's the anti-Kolb, in that he takes shots. The kid has guts, and that's what Fitzgerald needs. Of course, when it goes bad for Skelton, it goes bad for Fitz, too (he had six catches for 96 yards and one score combined in Skelton's final two starts before Kolb's return last month), but I don't care. I want Skelton in there if I'm a Fitzgerald owner. We'll have to wait and see whether Kolb can play in Week 15 versus the Cleveland Browns.

• For one week, anyway, everyone stressing about the triumvirate of Giants and Cowboys receivers could exhale. Hakeem Nicks (a beastly 154 yards on seven grabs), Victor Cruz (seven catches for 83 yards and a couple of hellacious drops) and Mario Manningham (two catches for 62 yards and a score) produced, as did Laurent Robinson (four catches for 137 yards and a TD), Miles Austin (four catches for 63 yards and a score) and Dez Bryant (one catch for 50 yards and a TD). Obviously, though, when only Nicks has more than four catches, you can understand the concern. There's only so much work to go around, and in any given week, you can get bitten. Certainly, owners of Bryant and Manningham must consider themselves fortunate, as each man scored a long TD on an impossibly blown coverage, salvaging his fantasy day. The Giants receivers at least had 10 (Nicks), 9 (Cruz) and 8 (Manningham) targets. The Cowboys receivers had 7 (Austin), 5 (Robinson) and 2 (Bryant). I'm not sure exactly what my ranks will look like yet for Week 15, but this is a mess.

• Speaking of messes, it was looking like such a nice afternoon in Denver for Marion Barber. He was cruising to a win in his first start with the Chicago Bears, he'd found the end zone -- thereby validating the fantasy owners who started him -- he'd produced 99 yards on the ground and he was about to seal the game late. Then on the first play after the two-minute warning he inexplicably ran out of bounds, stopping the clock for a Denver Broncos team that had no timeouts left. A little Tim Tebow magic later, and suddenly the game was in overtime. The Bears won the toss and drove right down the field behind a nice 16-yard reception by Barber, and suddenly Chicago was on the Broncos' 38. Barber got one last handoff. He was inside the Denver 35 when he fumbled. Broncos' ball. More Tebow magic. Game over. The heartening fact, of course, is that Barber played very well, and Kahlil Bell (14 touches, 64 yards) didn't negate the Barbarian's fantasy value. The crushing fact, of course, is that there's no telling how Barber or the rest of the Bears' offense will react to this kind of meltdown. They get the Seattle Seahawks at home in Week 15. Barber will probably be ranked near my top 20 fantasy backs. But we don't really know anything for sure.

• Thanks for making me look like a chump, Ryan Grant and Nate Washington! I spent much of last week bloviating on various TV and radio outlets about how Grant is no better than Brandon Saine, how his legs look cooked, how he's ready to be put out to pasture. And then boom! On the Packers' first play from scrimmage, Grant bursts up the middle and goes 47 yards for a score. Was it a courageous effort from the Oakland Raiders defense? It was not. But according to my propaganda last week, Grant shouldn't have been capable of such a mad dash to glory. And then there's Washington, whom I've been "selling" on Sunday morning "Fantasy Football Now" telecasts since the Carter administration. Washington played through an ankle sprain Sunday and produced 130 yards on six grabs, and showed some nice chemistry with young Jake Locker. Do I trust either of these guys going forward? I do not. Do I look like a fool for doubting them in Week 14? I surely do.

• I didn't hear it, but apparently Phil Simms let the cat out of the bag on Darren McFadden's injury during Sunday afternoon's telecast of the Packers/Raiders tilt. Simms revealed that Run-DMC has a Lisfranc injury, and not a "mere" mid-foot sprain. After the game, Raiders coach Hue Jackson confirmed that this is the case, but conflated the two injuries by way of dismissing the fact he's been calling McFadden's problem a sprain for six weeks. Now, I'm not saying this automatically means McFadden is out for the season, because nobody has said he actually needs Lisfranc surgery yet. But anyone who's paid attention to the NFL over the past decade knows that a Lisfranc problem is not a mere sprain. Run-DMC hasn't practiced, and now we know he has a more severe injury than we previously believed? All beat reporter speculation that Week 15 versus the Detroit Lions is McFadden's target return date aside, I find it entirely believable that we've seen the last of this guy for the regular season. Don't drop him in a fantasy league. I'm not dealing with inside information. But it never made all that much sense that McFadden would be this hobbled for this long with a sprained foot. Suddenly things seem clearer. Jackson says he expects to have his star RB back before the playoffs. To me, that sounds like he ain't playing in Week 15.

HacheMan · Dec 12, 2011

Four Downs: Locker steps up for Titans

Eric Karabell

Tennessee Titans rookie Jake Locker wasn't the only reserve quarterback to play well Sunday -- John Skelton and Joe Webb were impressive, as well -- but he's certainly the most interesting heading into Week 15, and not only because he will likely get to face the winless Indianapolis Colts. Locker hasn't played very much in his first season, but Titans fans and fantasy owners have now seen a pair of impressive relief performances, and want to see what the University of Washington product can do as a starter.
Veteran Matt Hasselbeck, the second-most added quarterback in the past week, likely due to the potential shootout matchup with the New Orleans Saints, left early Sunday with a calf injury, and has a Monday MRI pending. There's little question Locker, the No. 8 overall draft pick, is the team's future, and the future threw for 282 yards and a touchdown in three quarters against the Saints, while also running six times for 36 yards and another score. Way back in Week 11 at the Atlanta Falcons, Locker tossed a pair of touchdown passes in relief, as well.

For perspective, Hasselbeck last threw for as many as 220 passing yards in Week 9, and he's not a runner. Hasselbeck also has struggled notably of late, totaling 14 fantasy points in Weeks 11-13. Locker's 24 standard fantasy points not only topped anything Hasselbeck had done this season, but were topped in Week 14 (entering Sunday night) by only Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez (and tied him with Tom Brady). His time is here, and fantasy owners who targeted a struggling Hasselbeck based on the Saints matchup are going to be interested in the rookie considering the Colts matchup. In a deeper league, it's tough to blame them.
Then again, we haven't seen Locker start a game at the NFL level, and even against the Colts things might not go quite as planned -- the Colts don't stop the run, either, so Chris Johnson could go nuts -- but Locker certainly seemed to play Sunday unlike most inexperienced rookies. As Titans guard Jake Scott said: "Jake played well. He played composed. He made good decisions, he moved us down the field [four] times. He did his job as well as you could expect."
For most fantasy owners the playoffs began this week, and perhaps no owner in a standard league would need to consider a free-agent pickup in the first place. There are at least 12 safer, reliable options for Week 15. But those in deeper formats will need to consider Locker, assuming he gets the opportunity. Consider that in ESPN standard leagues, only 10 quarterbacks were active in more than half of leagues; Hasselbeck was active in nearly 20 percent of leagues. Those owners should explore other options regardless of his health. Other owners relied on Carson Palmer, Josh Freeman, Andy Dalton and Michael Vick and nobody in that crew -- including Vick, who faces the New York Jets in Week 15 -- played well in Week 14. The Colts are pretty bad. If the Titans let Locker play, this could work out well in fantasy.
Second down: Speaking of rookies, Atlanta Falcons speedster Julio Jones showed his best -- and worst -- in one performance, leaving fantasy owners tantalized. Jones has been dropping too many of Matt Ryan's passes lately, and Sunday was no different, but the Alabama product also scored touchdowns on two of the three passes he did haul in. Jones, targeted eight times, scored on plays of 17 and 75 yards in the fourth quarter. His 22 fantasy points tied with Marques Colston atop the fantasy leaderboard heading into the Sunday night game. Jones, who missed playing time in November with a hamstring injury, now has a pair of 20-plus fantasy performances this season. For perspective, Calvin Johnson, the top fantasy wide receiver for the season, has only three 20-point outings, and none since Week 4. Jones appears to be on the cusp of stardom, but was active in only 19.2 percent of leagues this week, barely among the 40 most popular wide receivers. Jones should be closer to the top 20 at his position.

Third down: Meanwhile, second-year wide receiver Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos was also impressive, catching seven passes from Tim Tebow for 78 yards and a touchdown. Thomas was targeted 13 times, second on Sunday to only Percy Harvin of the Minnesota Vikings (15 targets). While there was some reason for Thomas skepticism in Week 13, when teammate Eric Decker saw more defensive attention and Thomas broke free for 144 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only four receptions against the Vikings, Week 14 was different. Tebow was clearly looking for the Georgia Tech product. Like Julio Jones, Thomas can be inconsistent in terms of focus, but his ability is not in question. With a tasty matchup against the New England Patriots pending in Week 15, Thomas looks like a potential top 20 wide receiver option.
Fourth down: Finally, Green Bay Packers veteran running back Ryan Grant broke through for his best game since the 2009 season, rushing 10 times for 85 yards Sunday. He exploded for a 47-yard touchdown jaunt minutes into the 46-16 blowout win over the Oakland Raiders, and added a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. With starter James Starks inactive with an ankle injury, Grant stepped up, scoring his first touchdowns of the season. He showed speed and burst that certainly seemed missing just a week prior, when he ran 13 times for 29 yards against the New York Giants. Grant was added in more than 8 percent of leagues for this week based on his opportunity, and active in 24.7 percent of leagues. Only Maurice Jones-Drew and Shonn Greene scored more fantasy points at running back. Considering Grant entered Week 14 with 31 fantasy points all season, fantasy owners shouldn't assume the old Grant, the one who ran for 1,253 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in 2009, is necessarily back, but if Starks misses Week 15, Grant is a reasonable flex option.

HacheMan · Dec 13, 2011

Fear the Beast

Coming into this season, Marshawn Lynch had a strong down arrow next to his name. He looked like a simple plodder in 12 games with the Seahawks a year ago, averaging just 3.47 yards per carry. His new quarterback, Tarvaris Jackson, doesn’t threaten defenses. And his offensive line was well below average.

But after Monday night’s 23 carries for 115 yards with one touchdown performance, Lynch is fantasy’s No. 6 running back. He’s behind only LeSean McCoy, Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, Arian Foster and Adrian Peterson. Lynch has gone over 100 yards in five of his last six games and has a touchdown in nine straight games.

So what’s going on here? Yes, Lynch is breaking tackles at the highest rate in the league. He’s running to contact, but is too physical for most defenders. He’s eating Skittles like they’re going out of style. He’s in Beast Mode.

However, let’s hold off on calling Lynch an elite back, one that belongs in the same class as those aforementioned backs. Take a close look at the matchups.

Lynch has faced top-10 run defenses six times this season. In those games, he’s averaging just 52.6 yards per game and getting 3.22 yards per carry with three touchdowns. In the six games against other defenses, he’s averaging 105.5 yards per game and getting 4.98 yards per carry with five touchdowns.

In other words, Lynch is abusing bad defenses and struggling against good ones. It’s reminiscent of last season when the Bucs’ passing game got overhyped thanks to a cake schedule. Lynch gets two more top-10 defenses over the next two weeks in the Bears and Niners. His owners should be concerned and those looking to next season shouldn't overreact to this streak.

RAMS at SEAHAWKS RANDOM THOUGHTS
Sam Bradford started and finished the game, but could barely move thanks to his balky ankle. He’s a much better quarterback than he has shown all season. … Danario Alexander dropped an easy touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. … Brandon Lloyd is a player. With a healthy Bradford and a full offseason, he’ll be a value pick next year. … Lance Kendricks looked really slow on his only catch of the day. Perhaps he’s playing hurt. … If you’re going to trust anyone in Seattle’s passing game, it has to be Doug Baldwin. He led the way with eight targets last night.

Editor’s Note: For early rankings, projections, the Running Back report, the top-200 going forward list and much more, check out the Season Pass!

NEWS OF THE DAY #1
The Packers got good news on Greg Jennings’ knee injury Monday. Fantasy owners did not.

Jennings sprained the MCL in his left knee during Sunday’s win over the Raiders. The official timetable is 2-3 weeks, meaning we won’t see Jennings until the second round of the NFL playoffs. He should be 100 percent with that game nearly five weeks away.

Hopefully, Jennings’ owners had James Jones handcuffed, as suggested here. We all know how talented and explosive Jones is, he just needs the snaps. He’ll get those now as the likely starter. And while we’re at it, go ahead and handcuff Matt Flynn to Aaron Rodgers and Shaun Hill to Matthew Stafford.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS: QUARTERBACKS AND WIDE RECEIVERS
Ben Roethlisberger has a Grade 1 ankle sprain. He should be fine for Week 15. … Matt Hasselbeck’s calf injury is mild, but the Titans could very well use this as an opportunity to turn to Jake Locker. … Eagles WR Steve Smith (knee) is done for the year. … Chaz Schilens aggravated his foot injury in Week 14. … Kevin Kolb (concussion) is in doubt. … Jeremy Maclin’s hamstring tightened up on him in the second half in Week 14. He’s hard to trust right now. … Nate Washington aggravated his ankle injury late in the loss to the Saints. He’s in doubt. … Stevie Johnson is dealing with a hand injury.

INJURY CHART QUICK SLANTS: RUNNING BACKS AND TIGHT ENDS
The Vikings expect Adrian Peterson (ankle) to return in Week 15. … Scott Chandler (ankle) is not expected to play in Week 15. … Javon Ringer (hand) is likely done for the year. … Peyton Hillis (hip) practiced Monday. … Kevin Smith (ankle) expects to return in Week 15. He’d immediately regain a true workhorse role. … Joseph Addai was limited by his nagging hamstring issue last week. … The results of Jimmy Graham’s back MRI are unknown, but he guaranteed he’ll be fine.

DEPTH CHART QUICK SLANTS
The Cowboys are expected to sign Sammy Morris to backup Felix Jones. DeMarco Murray (ankle) is done for the year. … The Texans waived Derrick Mason, perhaps the final transaction of the veteran’s career. … Olindo Mare’s job is in jeopardy after yet another game-changing miss. … Eddie Royal (concussion) will likely be back in Week 15, but he’d rotate with Demaryius Thomas at best.

WAIVERS
DEFENSIVE SPOT STARTS
Adding a different defense/special teams each week based on matchups is a fine strategy. Here are units that might be on waivers to consider this week for streaming purposes:

1. BENGALS at Rams - The Bengals’ defense is no longer the elite unit it was in the first half of the season thanks to injuries, but they’re still solid. The Rams are averaging 11.0 points per game over the last six games and are on a short week.

2. FALCONS vs. Jaguars - It’s safe to say that the Jags’ 41-point Week 14 outburst had more to do with the Bucs’ miserable defense than any watershed moment for Blaine Gabbert and the offense. They are still ranked dead last in the league in yards per game.

3. COWBOYS at Bucs - After Sunday night’s heartbreaker, the Cowboys are in a total desperation spot against a banged up Josh Freeman.

Bonus play: TITANS at Colts

HacheMan · Dec 13, 2011

Playoff Felixir

This week’s title comes courtesy of loyal Rotoworld reader Jim Sloan, who noted that Jones has risen from the ranks of the football dead just in time to cure what ails a short-handed fantasy owner in the two most crucial weeks of the season. The Cowboys placed DeMarco Murray (fractured ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday, ensuring that Jones will function as a three-down back the rest of the way.

Pro Football Focus made the case last week that the difference in perception between Murray and Jones this season is “almost entirely the result of a scheduling fluke which has artificially enhanced the yards before contact numbers of Murray and suppressed those of Jones.” In fact, Murray actually averaged slightly fewer fantasy points per touch from Weeks 7-13 of 2011 than Jones did from Weeks 10-17 of 2010.

While Jones was unquestionably one of the first-half’s biggest fantasy disappointments, he was facing a tougher schedule, playing through a separated shoulder, and running behind an inexperienced offensive line still learning the NFL ropes. We saw a more aggressive Jones Sunday night, lowering his pads and blowing through Giants tackles.

If Jones faceplants this time around, he will have only himself to blame. Matchups don’t get any dreamier than a Buccaneers defense going through the motions in a seven-game losing streak while allowing the most fantasy points to opposing backs. After turning Chris Johnson’s season around with 190 yards, the Bucs rolled over for a career-high four touchdowns to Maurice Jones-Drew in Week 14. Tampa's defense “jammed up close to the line of scrimmage” against an offense that hadn’t topped 20 points all year, and still couldn’t close off running lanes. Jones is going to be a top-10 fantasy play in his first start since mid-October.

On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players at each position as we head into Week 15. Full writeups of each player are below.

Editor’s Note: Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exclusive weekly projections, stat tools, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our Season Pass.

Running Backs
Felix Jones
Ryan Grant
Chris Ivory
Montario Hardesty
John Kuhn
Kahlil Bell
Danny Woodhead

Quarterbacks
Jake Locker
Christian Ponder
Rex Grossman
T.J. Yates
Dan Orlovsky

Wide Receivers
Demaryius Thomas
Jabar Gaffney
James Jones
Randall Cobb
Golden Tate
Titus Young
Jerome Simpson
Donald Driver
Devin Aromashodu

Tight Ends
Dallas Clark
Anthony Fasano
Evan Moore
Marcedes Lewis

Defense/Special Teams
Cardinals
Falcons
Seahawks

Running Backs

Felix Jones, Cowboys - Coming off the bench 14 weeks into the season, Jones finally made good on that preseason hype (guilty as charged) once DeMarco Murray went down with a broken ankle. While Jones’ early-season disappointment was the result of a tough schedule, a separated shoulder, and a young offensive line still learning the ropes, it seemed evident that he was lowering his pads and running with more authority against the Giants Sunday night. With Murray on injured reserve, Jones is an every-down back heading into a matchup against the league’s most generous run defense. He’s a legit top-10 RB1 for Week 15.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Ryan Grant, Packers - Grant’s 47-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage was the longest Green Bay run of the season, and his first over 10 yards in 67 carries and nine weeks. Although Grant was able to get downhill between the tackles, he still doesn’t stand a prayer to get to the edge. I wouldn’t expect a repeat at Kansas City even if James Starks (ankle) sits out again, but starting running backs are hard to come by at this stage of the season. Grant has to be owned in all leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Chris Ivory, Saints - As expected, Ivory led the backfield in carries against the Titans while filling in for Mark Ingram. There’s little falloff -- if any -- with Ivory in the lineup, so the Saints can afford to wait until Ingram is 100 percent recovered from his turf toe injury as opposed to rushing him back. If Ingram misses practices again this week, Ivory is worthy of flex consideration versus the Vikings in deeper leagues.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Montario Hardesty, Browns - Peyton Hillis (hip) started last week’s game against the Steelers, but Hardesty functioned as the lead back for the final three quarters. Hillis’ post-game comments hinted that the Browns intend to go with a timeshare in the backfield as long as he’s playing through injuries. Hardesty isn’t a good bet for more than 10-12 touches unless Hillis aggravates one of his injuries during the Cardinals game.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

John Kuhn, Packers - With James Starks (ankle) out of the lineup, Kuhn tied for the team lead with 10 carries against the Raiders in Week 14. The majority of his touches came in garbage time with the Packers in clock-killing mode. If Starks sits out again this week, Kuhn could be called upon to salt away a big lead again at Kansas City. He’s purely a desperation flex option for the fantasy playoffs.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Kahlil Bell, Bears - Bell played just 19 snaps to Marion Barber’s 42 against the Broncos, but it’s worth noting that the Bears wanted the ball in his hands when he was on the field. Bell touched the ball on 14 of those 19 snaps in a decidedly run-heavy attack. That will almost certainly stand as his season-high in touches, so keep expectations low against the Seahawks. Bell isn’t flex-worthy just yet.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Danny Woodhead, Patriots - The good news is that Woodhead led the backfield in snaps and touches against the Redskins in Week 14. The bad news, as we’ve all come to learn over the years, is that the division of snaps in New England is driven by matchups and game momentum. Woodhead could take a backseat to BenJarvus Green-Ellis against the Broncos in Week 15.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper PPR leagues.

Watch List: Lance Ball, Isaac Redman, Chauncey Washington

Ball’s 38 snaps led Denver backs in Week 14. He could start seeing more touches if Willis McGahee wears down under his heaviest workload in years. … Redman is a handcuff. … Washington has yet to be promoted from the Cowboys’ practice squad.

Hold Off: Keiland Williams, Evan Royster, Sammy Morris

Kevin Smith (ankle) expects to return this week, sending Williams back to the bench. … Royster is a bench-warmer. … Morris is a 34-year-old with fullback speed. He’s not going to threaten Felix Jones.

Quarterbacks

Jake Locker, Titans - Matt Williamson of ESPN Scouts, Inc. compares Locker to a young Donovan McNabb as an accuracy-challenged passer with a cannon arm and elite athleticism. For the second time in four weeks, Locker came off the bench to infuse life into the Titans passing game, attacking with big plays down the field. Titan Insider’s Terry McCormick believes signs are pointing to Locker starting at Indy against a defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

Christian Ponder, Vikings - Ponder was officially pulled for performance reasons against the Lions, but there’s no question that his injured hip affected that performance. As long as Ponder is practicing on Wednesday, there should be little concern that he will last four quarters in a potential shootout versus a Saints defense allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs. With Percy Harvin playing at an elite level, Ponder is a high-upside QB2 option for Week 15.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

Rex Grossman, Redskins - As he is wont to do, Grossman bounced back from a disastrous Week 13 performance to post a respectable 18 fantasy points against the Patriots. He’s now cleared 250 yards with two TDs in three of the past four games. While Grossman has attractive matchups against the Giants (third-most fantasy points to opposing QBs) and Vikings (second-most), one can hardly blame fantasy owners for visions of Jason Pierre-Paul and Jason Allen harassing him into a series of pick-sixes and patented sack-fumbles.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a high-risk matchup play.

T.J. Yates, Texans - The most promising sign in Yates’ back-to-back victories over the Falcons and Bengals is that Gary Kubiak hasn’t changed the offense. Yates is running the same plays Matt Schaub did earlier in the season, showing pocket poise, a willingness to scramble, and downfield confidence. He’s not going to repeat those comeback-aided 44 pass attempts, though, so expect a ground-heavy attack against the Panthers’ soft defense in Week 15.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Dan Orlovsky, Colts - Orlovsky’s 350-yard game against the Patriots was clearly a garbage-time aberration, but he’s not quite as bad as he looked against Baltimore’s dominant defense, either. The Colts’ passing game is still in better hands with Orlovsky than Curtis Painter. Back home in Lucas Oil Stadium for Week 15, Orlovsky draws a middle-of-the-road Titans defense that allows the 17th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Watch List: Seneca Wallace, John Skelton

Colt McCoy and Kevin Kolb are both nursing concussions this week. It’s not clear yet if they will be cleared to play in Week 15. Wallace and Skelton are desperation options at best even if they end up starting.

Hold Off: Blaine Gabbert, Joe Webb, J.P. Losman

Gabbert’s improved production came against a Bucs defense that called it quits before halftime. … Webb is headed back to the bench after an impressive relief stint. … Losman is a fantasy non-factor even if Matt Moore (concussion) missed time.

Wide Receivers

Demaryius Thomas, Broncos - Bouncing back from a series of early-game drops, Thomas came up big down the stretch for the second straight game. His 13 targets were five more than the next closest receiver, and he’s now led the team in receiving for two straight games while averaging a 5.5/111/1.5 line. While Thomas isn’t the most reliable receiver, the matchup is right in Week 15 against New England’s burnable secondary. No defense has allowed more fantasy points to opposing receivers or quarterbacks.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Jabar Gaffney, Redskins - With Fred Davis out for the season, Redskins tight ends failed to see a single target against the Patriots in Week 14. It was Gaffney who filled Davis’ role, fielding eight targets on his way to a 6/92/1 line. A top-30 fantasy receiver on pace for 64 receptions and 930 yards, Gaffney has juicy matchups against the Giants (second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers) and Vikings (fourth-most) the next two weeks.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

James Jones, Packers - Green Bay will go with a committee attack to replace Greg Jennings, but Rotoworld has always believed Jones would be the primary beneficiary of any injury to a starter. Jones led the Packers receivers in Week 14 snaps and should see action in some two-receiver sets and most three-wide formations against the Chiefs. He’s a viable WR3 option against the Chiefs this week.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

Randall Cobb, Packers - The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recommends the rookie as “perhaps the one who stands to gain the most” from Greg Jennings’ MCL injury in Green Bay. A poor man’s Percy Harvin, Cobb figures to pick up snaps in the slot where he can use his playmaking ability after the catch. While Cobb is a high-risk WR3 option at Kansas City in Week 15, he’s at least worth rostering to gauge his place in the pecking order.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a roster stash.

Golden Tate, Seahawks - Doug Baldwin is a promising slot receiver, but Tate is the No. 1 option in Seattle despite the Monday night boxcore. Leading the receivers in snaps and targets since Sidney Rice went down for the season, Tate’s playmaking ability has been evident even if he was underutilized in the second of the win over the Rams. Going forward, I’m still playing Tate over Baldwin due the edge in upside.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.

Titus Young, Lions - The rookie’s 4/87/1 line against the Vikings moved him past Nate Burleson and into the top-50 fantasy receivers for 2011. With defenses going to crazy measures in an effort to stop Calvin Johnson, Young tied for the team lead with seven targets in Week 14. He offers more playmaking ability and fantasy upside than Burleson.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a boom-or-bust matchup play.

Jerome Simpson, Bengals - I’ve recommended steering clear of Simpson all season because Cincinnati’s second receiver is simply not reliable on a week-to-week basis. I wouldn’t be confident starting Simpson even against an injury-ravaged Rams secondary allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers, but he’s worth a look for the overmatched fantasy owner looking to land a haymaker against a more talented roster. Whereas a low-upside option like Donald Driver hasn’t topped 100 yards in two and a half years, Simpson has accomplished the feat five times in his past 15 games.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a boom-or-bust play.

Donald Driver, Packers - Even before Greg Jennings’ MCL sprain, Driver had picked up his play over the past month, with three four-catch games. While Driver’s role should remain stable in Week 15 at Kansas City, his fantasy upside is limited by the presence of James Jones and Randall Cobb. Driver hasn’t topped 90 yards since Week 12 of the 2009 season.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a low-upside matchup play.

Devin Aromashodu, Vikings - With Adrian Peterson out of the lineup and Michael Jenkins done for the season, Aromashodu has racked up a whopping 25 targets the past two weeks on his way to 10 catches for 137 yards. The matchup is right this week in a potential shootout with the Saints, but Peterson’s return should mean a run-oriented game plan. This offense won’t support two fantasy receivers most weeks, and Percy Harvin is the clear No. 1.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperation matchup play.

Watch List: Riley Cooper, Brandon LaFell, Austin Collie, Jarett Dillard, Kyle Williams

Jeremy Maclin’s hamstring “tightened up” at Miami. If he misses practice time, Cooper could be worth a look in deeper leagues against the Jets elite secondary. … LaFell is starting and blocking well, but he’s not yet producing. … Collie’s production is ticking up with Dan Orlovsky at quarterback. … Dillard led the Jags receivers in Week 14 with Mike Thomas concussed. … Williams and Ted Ginn are splitting production opposite Michael Crabtree.

Hold Off: Kevin Walter, Chaz Schilens, Louis Murphy, Donte Stallworth

Walter is coming off a fine game against the Bengals, but T.J. Yates isn’t going to throw 44 times versus the Panthers. … Schilens is nursing a foot injury again while Murphy figures to lose snaps with Denarious Moore (ankle) and/or Jacoby Ford (foot) returning this week. … Stallworth has to prove those 96 yards weren’t due primarily to New England’s overmatched secondary.

Cut Bait: Robert Meachem, Brad Smith, Earl Bennett, Vincent Brown

Dump Meachem if you chased his 100-yard game from Week 13. … Smith was shut out after consecutive games over 70 yards. … Bennett has been an afterthought since Caleb Hanie took over. … Brown has played fewer snaps than Patrick Crayton since Malcom Floyd’s return.

Tight Ends

Anthony Fasano, Dolphins - While this stat says as much about the Cowboys as Fasano, it’s worth noting that the Dolphins’ tight end has matched Jason Witten in fantasy points over the past five weeks and exceeded his total over the past six. Coming off a season-high eight targets, Fasano draws a Bills defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this year. He’s a legit TE1 option.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

Dallas Clark, Colts - Clark was rusty in his return from a three-week hiatus, catching just one pass for 12 yards against a Ravens defense that shuts down tight ends. On the bright side, he saw six targets to just one for Jacob Tamme. The matchup is right this week versus a Titans defense that allows the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Clark isn’t a bad bet for 50+ yards with Dan Orlovsky under center.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

Evan Moore, Browns - The ultra-athletic former hoopster led the Browns with 55 yards on four receptions against the Steelers, picking up extra snaps with Ben Watson (concussion) knocked out early. The concussion was Watson’s second in two months, so there’s a decent chance he’ll sit out against the Cardinals. In that scenario, Moore is worth a look as a boom-or-bust option for Week 15.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperation play.

Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars - Lewis is coming off a season-high 77 yards, and he’s been targeted a healthy 8.5 times per game over the past month. The downside is that he’s yet to find the end zone and his quarterback isn’t reliable. The Falcons allow the 19th-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Lewis is only an option for the truly desperate.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperation play.

Hold Off: Kevin Boss

Chalk Boss’ Week 14 production up to garbage time in a blowout. He’s not a fantasy option against the Lions.

Cut Bait: Jared Cook, Jacob Tamme, Heath Miller

Cook has been held without a catch in consecutive weeks. He’s closer to Ben Troupe than Jermichael Finley. … Tamme saw just one target with Clark back in action. … Miller will have to concentrate on blocking to protect an immobile Ben Roethlisberger.

Defense/Special Teams

Cardinals - New defensive boss Ray Horton is finally starting to receive well-deserved kudos for the impressive performance of his young defense during the current 5-1 stretch. Arizona has held four of the past six opponents under 20 points with a concussed Colt McCoy on the docket for Week 15.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

Falcons - Blaine Gabbert’s 217 yards and two touchdowns in Week 14 aren’t a sign of progress. The increased production is purely the result of a Bucs defense that folded up its tent and called it a day before halftime. The Falcons aren’t a turnover generating defense, but there’s a good chance the Jaguars will be held under 10 points and 250 total yards in the Georgia Dome.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

Seahawks - Seattle’s D/ST has found the end zone in consecutive weeks heading into an attractive matchup against an offense that has managed just 13 total points in Caleb Hanie’s two starts. The game is too fast for Hanie right now, causing him to panic in the pocket.

Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.

HacheMan · Dec 13, 2011

Free-agent finds: Week 15

Felix Jones useful again, James Jones' role to increase due to injuries

By Christopher Harris
ESPN.com

You won't find quite as many names below as you do during the fantasy regular season, because now is not the time for flyers. Yes, we'll deal with the major injury implications from Week 14. But first, some thoughts about the cruelty of the first week of the fantasy playoffs:

• Those of you following LARGE (the League of American Recreational Gridiron Enthusiasts) from way back this summer know that I amassed quite a squad in this 16-team league, by virtue of trading for draft picks. I also added Arian Foster by giving up my own first-round pick in 2012. My squad consisted (note the past tense) of Tony Romo, Foster, Ray Rice, Calvin Johnson, Steve Smith and Antonio Gates. This is a 16-team league. And yes, I lost my playoff game this week. Maurice Jones-Drew's four TDs, Mason Crosby going batty, and Christian Ponder's largesse to the Lions D did me in, despite the fact that I scored 96-plus points in a league where the weekly average is around 60 or 65. Do I really have to do this job for the rest of the season?

• In non-me-related news, Dez Bryant is shut out completely for 3½ quarters, and his fantasy opponents nationwide rejoice. Then it takes one utterly blown Giants coverage, Dez has a 50-yard score, and angels weep. On the flip side, how about Romo blowing that wide-open throw to Miles Austin that would've salted away many fantasy games and the Giants' season?

• Marshawn Lynch looks like he'll be un-Beasted Monday night with a decent-but-unspectacular 19 carries for 85 yards. Then the Seahawks put him out there to kill the clock and the Skittles fly freely, as Lynch breaks two long ones and scores on his final carry of the night. (I have one particular friend who lost his playoff game on this last play, at the hands of ex-ESPNer and current MMA impresario, Jon Anik.)

• Mike Wallace's knee scrapes the ground as he's going in for a TD on Thursday night, Ben Roethlisberger gets trucked and hobbles around the rest of the day, but Antonio Brown still manages to take a back-shoulder sideline reception to the house to topple the Steelers' order of things.

• Ben Tate, not Foster, gets a goal-line carry in the second quarter, and he fumbles it away. That doesn't stop Gary Kubiak from distributing six more touches to Tate the rest of the way, compared to 10 for Foster. And Foster gets "credit" for a fumble on a catch he never made, and which the Texans actually recovered.

• In the midst of his meltdown, Marion Barber "makes" a lovely catch in overtime that gets the Bears into deep field goal range, setting up Barber's decisive fumble. But replays show Barber didn't actually catch the ball. If it's ruled incomplete, maybe history reads differently.

• How about Brandon Jacobs and DeAngelo Williams thumping owners of Ahmad Bradshaw and Jonathan Stewart right where it hurts?

• I held out as long as I could, but even I was tricked by a Bill Belichick running back last week. I rated BenJarvus Green-Ellis 21st among fantasy rushers, which I felt was restrained, but captured the possibility of some short scores. There are many Law Firm owners standing around staring at their feet much the way BJGE did last week on the way to five total carries in the game.

• Aaron Rodgers submits his worst fantasy day all year and takes Jermichael Finley (no catches!) down with him. Sigh.

This is just an anecdotal canvasing of a week's worth of bad beats. Feel free to tweet me with your own horror story from Week 14, if it'll make you feel any better.

ESPN standard-league finds

Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys (owned in 71.6 percent of ESPN.com leagues): Yes, Jones is owned in more than half of ESPN leagues, which usually disqualifies a player from being mentioned here, but he's also at the epicenter of Week 14's biggest injury, so I figured I'd list him just in case. DeMarco Murray's fabulous rookie year ended with a thud versus the Giants, as Murray broke his ankle. It sounds as though Sammy Morris (0.1 percent) will sign with the Cowboys as soon as Tuesday, but certainly Jones will be the workhorse. He looked much better against New York than at any other time this year, managing 137 total yards on 22 touches. Add him.

Chris Ivory, RB, New Orleans Saints (0.6 percent): But assuming Jones is owned in your league, Murray owners' best chance to get something out of your RB spot (assuming guys like Marion Barber (46.1 percent) and Kevin Smith (58.2 percent) are gone) might be Ivory. Is this situation ideal? Of course not. Mark Ingram's toe injury isn't thought to be overly severe, and he might be active again as soon as this week against the Vikings, which would push Ivory right back to the "healthy scratch" list. Plus, of course, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas are still on hand. But Ivory did get 13 carries against the Titans last week and racked up 53 yards. There's not much upside with Ivory because the Saints go spread so frequently, but he's probably the main candidate for short scores when Ingram doesn't play.

James Jones, WR, Green Bay Packers (58.6 percent): The other major injury of the week, Greg Jennings' knee sprain, pushes Jones into Green Bay's starting lineup, and as such he should certainly be owned in all leagues. But the Packers go three- and four-wide far more often than they go two-wide; according to Stats LLC, in their past four games the Packers have thrown passes out of a two-receiver set 17 times, compared to 67 out of three-wide and 53 out of four-wide. Because Jones can sometimes have maddening hands and he isn't the open-field runner Jennings is, he's not a straight-up replacement for Jennings. Jordy Nelson figures to be the top dog in this offense now, and Jones will fight with Donald Driver for looks after that. He's addable, but his production will continue to be a roller coaster.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos (9.7 percent): Make it back-to-back strong games for Thomas at the expense of Eric Decker (who has five catches for 58 yards the past two weeks combined), and anyone who watched the latest Tim Tebow miracle knows that Thomas dropped a couple of potential long passes that could've made his seven grabs for 78 yards and a TD even better. When your QB completes three of his first 16 passes, well, the potential for disaster looms every week. But heaven knows (literally?) that Tebow and the rest of the Broncos' passing game have the best possible matchup this week versus the bedraggled Patriots secondary. If Greg Jennings owners can't get their hands on James Jones, Thomas is probably their next-best option.

Kahlil Bell, RB, Chicago Bears (0.9 percent): It's not that I think Marion Barber will get demoted because of his disastrous fourth quarter and overtime last week. If Barber is available in your league, he's the best DeMarco Murray (and Matt Forte) replacement around, but I didn't focus on him in this column because I highlighted him so strongly last week. Bell is worth a look, too. He had 14 touches for 64 yards from scrimmage versus the Broncos, and looked very effective as a change-of-pace back, especially in the first half. Barber will get the short scores, but especially in a PPR league, Bell is worth adding.

And yes, you should also add my season-long binky Antonio Brown (59.8 percent) if you haven't done so yet. I'm just rather tired of listing him here.

Tennessee Titans defense (16.5 percent): There isn't a slam-dunk lightly owned defense for Week 15. Yes, if you can pick up the Falcons or Bengals, I'd do so. But those units are owned in more than half of ESPN leagues, so I'll turn my attention to the inconsistent Titans. This group has scored five fantasy points or fewer in four of their past six games, but in those other two games they went crazy to the tune of 21 and 19 fantasy points. They also scored 16 fantasy points when they played the Colts in Week 8, and Indy is their opponent Sunday. I grant you that the Colts' offense has looked more respectable with Dan Orlovsky under center, which is why I'm not sure Tennessee's D will be in my top 10 this week. But they'll be close. Indianapolis is still a winless squad with a desultory look about them.

Deeper-league finds

Rex Grossman, QB, Washington Redskins (8.9 percent): As I mentioned in last week's Hard Count, Grossman had the best schedule in the 2011 season's final month of any QB. Even now that he's through with that terrible Patriots secondary, he's due for some favorable matchups. This week he gets the Giants, who have been eviscerated by the pass for three straight weeks. In Week 16, he'll face the Vikings, who keep giving it up to opposing QBs in droves. And even Week 17 against the Eagles isn't horrible. Using Grossman and his scattershot arm in the fantasy playoffs is a frightening prospect in a 10-team league. But go deeper than that, and he's an option.

Donald Driver, WR, Packers (18.1 percent): Don't look now, but Driver is showing signs of life. He's had eight catches over the past two weeks, and scored twice in Week 13. With Jennings out, that uptick is likely to continue as Driver puts the finishing touches on a solid NFL career. I think he and Randall Cobb (6.8 percent) are likelier to be thorns in the sides of Jordy Nelson and James Jones than they are to be a fantasy factors on their own, especially in 10-team leagues. But Driver is still worth a speculative add in deep leagues, in case his late-coming production continues.

Jabar Gaffney, WR, Redskins (34.5 percent): If Rex Grossman has a good schedule, it's a rather safe bet that his wideouts do, as well. Santana Moss (63.7 percent) figures to be Washington's best target and is startable in 10-team leagues, but Gaffney isn't bad. He had six grabs for 92 yards and a score in Week 14 versus New England, and should benefit from a cake matchup against a depleted Giants secondary Sunday. He won't be inside my top 30 receivers this week, but he'll almost certainly be in my top 40.

Montario Hardesty, RB, Cleveland Browns (20.3 percent): The end of Peyton Hillis' time in Cleveland isn't going well. The impending free agent was mostly an onlooker for the final three quarters of the Browns' maddening loss in Pittsburgh last Thursday, managing 10 carries and 25 yards (seven of those looks came in the first quarter). Hardesty wasn't any better, it's true: 24 yards rushing on 11 carries, and Chris Ogbonnaya (13.5 percent) was on the field a bunch. Hillis' hip is reportedly feeling better, and he practiced Monday. Still, the Browns have way more incentive to see what Hardesty can give them, making him worth a deep-league add.

Jake Locker, QB, Titans (0.4 percent): When Matt Hasselbeck tried to knock down a batted pass and hopped around on one foot after a non-contact injury, my first thought was "Achilles." But apparently Hass suffered only a calf injury, and as such is questionable to play this week against the Colts. If I'm Tennessee, though, I've really liked what I've seen from Locker in his two cameos this year, and I want to get him some starts. I realize the Titans are still in the playoff mix at 7-6, giving them an outside shot. Maybe Locker won't get this sweet matchup, but I do think he'll be starting games before the year ends, and in deeper leagues, that could be worth something, especially because Locker has shown an ability to run the ball.

Keiland Williams, RB, Detroit Lions (0.4 percent): No, I don't think this guy is even an average NFL running back, and yes, I assume that Kevin Smith will be back this week against the Raiders, which makes him a viable pickup for those who lost DeMarco Murray. But Maurice Morris (68.4 percent) injured his chest last week and overall showed why he's not a reliable week-to-week player (five touches, 16 yards), and if Smith and Morris are both banged up it's not inconceivable that Williams could see double-digit touches, as he did in Week 14. I'm not saying he'll do much with them. I'm just saying …

Jamie Harper, RB, Titans (0.2 percent): This is really just a note to mention that Javon Ringer broke his hand last week and is out for the year. That means Chris Johnson's handcuff is now Harper, a rookie who has only eight touches from scrimmage this year. If CJ1K does suffer an injury, though, the keys to the "kingdom" (such as it is) would be handed over to Harper.

HacheMan · Dec 13, 2011

Lack of turnovers boosts Tebow's value

Eric Karabell

A friend of mine new to fantasy football asked me the other day how Denver Broncos miracle man Tim Tebow was a top-10 quarterback despite seemingly below average numbers. Look at the passing numbers, there's not much there. He hasn't scored a rushing touchdown since Week 10, so that hasn't been a major differentiator of late. What exactly is Tebow doing to become a top-10 fantasy quarterback, because in his eight starts, it's a fact that he has been.

It's about the turnovers, baby. In Tebow's case, it's about the lack thereof.
Consider the plight of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman. He was considered a starter for 10-team leagues on draft day, but currently has the same 149 standard fantasy points that Tebow has. Freeman has started 12 games this season. He has more touchdown passes than Tebow, more than twice as many passing yards and the same three rushing touchdowns. So what gives? Freeman leads the NFL with 18 interceptions, one more than Rivers and two more than Cam Newton and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tebow, Freeman and Cleveland Browns underachiever Colt McCoy are tied for 18th in season scoring at quarterback, but one of those guys has started only eight games.
<OFFER>Tebow has been incredibly careful with the football, though he did throw his second interception of the season in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears, and he lost a fumble, only his third of the season. Still, to have five turnovers in eight games is hard to do. In ESPN standard leagues, an interception costs two points. Players also lose two points for fumbles lost. In some leagues there are no points deducted for these things, which obviously reduces Tebow's value in relation to others. It's like owning Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez in a fantasy baseball league; remove the strikeouts and what you have isn't nearly as special. Tebow isn't really producing monster statistics, but he's not having fantasy points subtracted from his ledger, either.
Hey, that matters, and it's allowed him to average nearly 17 fantasy points per game in his eight starts. For perspective, only seven quarterbacks are averaging that many fantasy points per game for the entirety of the season. Rivers has scored 199 fantasy points this season, ninth at quarterback; nobody ranked ahead of him is close to his 22 turnovers, costing him 44 fantasy points. Rookie Cam Newton, a fantasy monster who is second among all scorers this season, has 18 turnovers, but he's overcome them with bigger numbers. If Tebow could average even 200 passing yards per game, or score more rushing touchdowns, he'd be up there with Newton and even the great Aaron Rodgers, averaging 22 and 25 fantasy points per contest, respectively.
Here are some other quarterback thoughts centered around turnovers.
• It's tough to explain why Freeman has been so prone to interceptions this season. In 2010, Freeman threw a mere six of them while playing all 16 games. He didn't have gaudy passing statistics, as his 3,451 passing yards ranked 13th, nor did he score a rushing touchdown. Basically, he was the Tebow of 2010 in that his lack of turnovers gave him an edge on other fantasy quarterbacks. I'd also argue that Freeman didn't forget how to be a quality player. He should bounce back to some degree in 2012.

• Speaking of last season, only five quarterbacks in the top 25 for final scoring had fewer than 10 turnovers (interceptions plus lost fumbles): Michael Vick, Tom Brady, Freeman, Matt Cassel and Ben Roethlisberger. How are those fellas working out this season? Well, Brady and Big Ben are good, but the others have struggled. Vick has 15 turnovers in 10 games. I don't expect Tebow to follow in Freeman's path and be a turnover machine next season, but if he were to cough up the football, he would not be productive for our purposes unless he really upped his yards and touchdowns.
• Which regular quarterbacks can still finish with fewer than 10 turnovers? I count only three. One is Tebow. Aaron Rodgers has thrown only six interceptions -- though one in each of the past two weeks -- and still hasn't lost a fumble. Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford are the only other top 30 quarterbacks who haven't lost a fumble. So it's Tebow, Rodgers and Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers. That's it. Smith doesn't get much fantasy love, and he's been disappointing two of the past three weeks, but the reason Smith is tied with Andy Dalton as fantasy's No. 13 quarterback for the season is simply because of the lack of turnovers. I'm guessing nearly all of you would choose Dalton, right? Same-season fantasy numbers ultimately.
• Let's give San Diego Chargers leader Philip Rivers credit where it's due. For 10 weeks the top-5 draft day passer really hurt his fantasy owners, with 17 interceptions. In the past three weeks, he has not thrown the ball to the other team (or at least they haven't caught it). Certainly the schedule has played a role, as Rivers had 23 and 19 fantasy points against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills the past two weeks. Those rank as Rivers' No. 2 and 3 top games of the season. How do you feel about him facing the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15? If he can remain productive and turnover-free this week, I'd trust him the final two weeks at the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders.
• Speaking of Raiders, what Carson Palmer did in Green Bay Sunday was exactly why I didn't trust him. Yes, Palmer has already thrown for 1,730 yards in essentially six and a half games, but he has 10 interceptions, including four against the Packers. It's negating Palmer's upside; his six fantasy points in Week 14 were his lowest for the Raiders as a starter, but even his Week 9 performance against Tebow's Broncos, with 332 passing yards and three touchdowns were negatively impacted by the three interceptions. There will be more in the coming weeks.

HacheMan · Dec 14, 2011

Curious case of Calvin

Calvin Johnson has zero 100-yard games in the last five weeks. During that span he has one touchdown. Over the last four weeks, he is fantasy’s No. 33 wideout. What the heck?

Johnson didn’t suddenly shrink, lose his leaping ability or his hands. Some ideas as to what might be going on:

1. Regression to the mean: After four games, Johnson was on pace for a 96/1284/32 line. After eight games, his pace was at 94/1608/22. Simply put, that’s unsustainable. The breaks that were going his way early on eventually fall the other way. It’s a thin line. Owners that sold simply on the idea of a natural regression are laughing their way to the bank now.

2. Defensive attention: The Lions’ running game has gone in the tank, allowing defenses to keep six men in the box. That means they can assign two or three defenders to Johnson in bracket -- and even gunner -- coverage. Teams are applying this coverage especially in the red zone. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke has the pictures here for proof.

3. Other weapons: Based on point No. 2, Matthew Stafford is actually doing the right thing. On Titus Young’s 57-yard touchdown catch against the Vikings last week, Johnson cleared out the entire field by taking the safety and corner with him. Call it a hockey assist. Stafford has shied away from forcing it to Calvin after throwing nine picks in Weeks 10 through 12.

Still, all hope is not lost for Megatron owners as we head into the fantasy semifinals. The Lions know that the four targets he saw last week are not enough. Coach Jim Schwartz conceded that they could have been more aggressive in targeting Johnson last week.

"I still remember Jamaal Lewis when he was playing running back for the Ravens, and he gained 2,000 yards, and they didn't have a very good passing attack and everybody was in an eight-man front to stop the run -- he still had 2,000 yards," Schwartz said. "I think that Calvin is similar in that regard. People have been trying to take him out; he's still been productive. But it was probably an unrealistic pace but, with Calvin, there's nothing that's really unrealistic."

Johnson is set up to bust out of his slump against the Raiders this week. Our initial projections have him as the No. 1 play at the wideout spot.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
I’ve hit on Frank Gore in this space a few times over the last few weeks. He’s no longer a part of the passing game (four catches in the last seven weeks), has lost his burst and the 49ers are looking toward the playoffs.

To make matters worse, Gore faces the red-hot run defenses of the Steelers and Seahawks in the next two weeks. And in a death blow, coach Jim Harbaugh admitted Monday that Gore is playing at less than 100 percent. That’s the reason he got just 10 carries last week.

If you have other options in Week 15, it’s time to explore them.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
We know Greg Jennings (knee) will be out until the NFL playoffs. What we don’t know is exactly how the Packers will replace his production.

One guy that will almost certainly benefit is Jermichael Finley. Before Finley went down with a knee injury in Week 5 of last season, Jennings was very quiet. Ever since then, Finley has been a decoy and Jennings has been a beast. Look for the Packers to finally highlight their insanely talented tight end against the Chiefs this week.

In terms of wideouts, we can safely expect Jordy Nelson and James Jones to play the most snaps. Randall Cobb and Donald Driver will rotate in as well, but Jones is the best add here. We know how explosive he is and now he gets the chance to show it.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS: QUARTERBACKS AND RUNNING BACKS
Kevin Kolb revealed he had suffered two major concussions before last week. Look for John Skelton to get another start. … Javon Ringer (hand) is done for the year. … Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) has been deemed questionable for Monday, but we’re expecting him to play. … Christian Ponder (hip) will start in Week 15. … James Starks’ (ankle) Week 15 status is unknown. … The Packers are optimistic on Brandon Saine (concussion). … Darren McFadden (Lisfranc) doesn’t need surgery but appears no closer to a return.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS: RECEIVERS, TIGHT ENDS AND KICKERS
The Saints aren’t expressing much concern over Jimmy Graham’s back. … Nate Washington is dealing with back spasms in addition to his sprained ankle. … Emmanuel Sanders has inflammation in his surgically repaired foot. … Stevie Johnson (hand) is expected to be fine going forward.

DEPTH CHART QUICK SLANTS
Mario Manningham played 32 snaps in Week 14. Victor Cruz played 72. … Interim coach Romeo Crennel may turn to Ricky Stanzi this week. … Injuries did not play a part in Chad Ochocinco’s four-snap game last week. … Devin Aromashodu has played almost every Vikings offensive snap in two straight weeks. … Ryan Torain is now behind Evan Royster on the depth chart. … The Cowboys signed Sammy Morris to be Felix Jones’ backup.

HacheMan · Dec 14, 2011

Target Watch: Week 15

The numbers by each name are targets for Weeks’ 8 through 14. And the target totals reflect the last 7 weeks as well. I hope you enjoy!

All snap count data comes from our friends over at Pro Football Focus.

Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald: 5-12-13-9-9-7-8 (63), Andre Roberts: 3-7-7-9-5-6-5 (42), Early Doucet: 6-6-4-10-1-6-4 (37), Jeff King: 3-2-5-0-3-0-4 (17), Chester Taylor: 1-1-3-3-2-0-2 (12), LaRod Stephens-Howling: 1-1-2-0-1-2-2 (9), Rob Housler: 2-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-3-1 (6), Beanie Wells: 0-2-0-1-0-1-1 (5), Demarco Sampson: dnp-0-0-2-0-0-1 (3)

John Skelton needs to be sat every other week so he can start fresh and play well. I really don’t believe that (maybe) but he is extremely inconsistent from week to week. On the average he’s been much better for Larry Fitzgerald’s production as was shown with Fitz’s 8 targets, 7 receptions, 149 yards and a touchdown in last week’s win over a strong 49ers team.

Skelton is more apt to challenge teams vertically which helps out all the wide receivers as their 3 touchdown catches attest. Early Doucet continues to beat out Andre Roberts in fantasy points due to his touchdown prowess. Roberts finally caught his first touchdown of the season but it came on a 2 reception 8 yard performance.

Atlanta Falcons

Roddy White: BYE-9-7-14-13-15-11 (69), Tony Gonzalez: BYE-6-10-6-9-10-11 (52), Harry Douglas: BYE-0-14-4-5-5-3 (31), Julio Jones: BYE-4-5-dnp-0-11-8 (28), Eric Weems: BYE-0-5-3-0-0-0 (8), Michael Palmer: BYE-2-0-1-3-1-1 (8), Michael Turner: BYE-2-2-2-1-0-1 (8), Jacquizz Rodgers: BYE-1-2-0-2-1-2 (8), Jason Snelling: BYE-0-2-2-1-1-1 (7), Mike Cox: BYE-0-3-0-0-0-0 (3)

Matt Ryan had a much better game against the Panthers’ defense than he had against the Texans in Week 13. He was 22 for 38 with 320 yards and 4 touchdowns as he spread the ball around to his big three pass catchers.

Roddy White continues his resurgence with his fourth game in a row over 10 fantasy points compared to his 3 games over 10 points in his first 9 games. Julio Jones broke out for the second time this season with a huge 2 touchdown game. His hamstring has made him seem more boom or bust than he is. He gets plenty of targets when healthy.

Baltimore Ravens

Anquan Boldin: 12-10-9-2-9-4-6 (52), Torrey Smith: 9-9-8-7-3-4-9 (49), Ray Rice: 9-7-10-10-3-3-6 (48), Ed Dickson: 9-5-14-3-2-4-2 (39), Dennis Pitta: 8-8-7-0-2-2-4 (31), Vonta Leach: 1-1-1-2-1-3-1 (10), Ricky Williams: 2-1-3-2-2-0-0 (10), Lee Evans: dnp-dnp-dnp-1-1-3-3 (8)

The Colts defense is just plain awful. They’ve given up the third most rushing yards and easily the worst completion percentage at 72 percent. That’s historically bad. So really the Ravens could do whatever they wanted and they did. But even against the Colts their passing game isn’t potent enough to hold two startable receivers week to week. Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin are the only receivers worth risking in good matchups but you can’t count on both getting enough work with the running game being the focus and it is difficult to choose which of the two receivers will get theirs that week. Boldin hasn’t topped 10 fantasy points since week 8 and Smith’s numbers are better but inconsistent.

Buffalo Bills

Stevie Johnson: 9-6-5-8-13-8-10 (59), David Nelson: 5-7-5-4-8-8-6 (43), Brad Smith: 3-0-0-4-7-10-5 (29), Scott Chandler: 2-3-3-6-7-4-dnp (25), C.J. Spiller: 3-0-0-4-3-6-4 (20), Naaman Roosevelt: 1-3-1-2-dnp-2-0 (9), Tashard Choice: dnp-dnp-dnp-1-0-1-4 (6), Derek Hagan: dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-4 (4), Johnny White: dnp-dnp-dnp-4-0-0-0 (4), Lee Smith: 0-0-0-dnp-0-3-1 (4), Ruvell Martin: 0-0-0-2-1-0-0 (3)

The Bills are in a spiral. The loss of Fred Jackson has really hurt their offensive balance and Ryan Fitzpatrick just isn’t good enough to put the team on his back. But there is one clear winner here and that is Stevie Johnson. After a strong first three weeks of the season where he averaged 14 fantasy points, Johnson went ice cold. In the next 7 games he averaged 6.5 fantasy points but now in the last 3 games (without Jackson) he is averaging 11.6. Fitzpatrick is throwing more and even though it’s not doing his team much good, it is giving Johnson more points.

Carolina Panthers

Steve Smith: 9-BYE-8-10-7-6-8 (48), Greg Olsen: 7-BYE-11-9-3-4-6 (40), Legedu Naanee: 7-BYE-9-5-4-3-5 (33), Jonathan Stewart: 3-BYE-7-6-4-2-9 (31), Brandon LaFell: 2-BYE-2-5-6-4-5 (24), Jeremy Shockey: 3-BYE-1-dnp-3-1-4 (12), DeAngelo Williams: 2-BYE-1-1-0-0-2 (6)

If it wasn’t for Jeremy Shockey I think Greg Olsen could have had a breakout season, but alas Shockey was and is still around so it’s impossible to know if Olsen will get enough looks from week to week. He will most likely finish the season as a top 12 tight end which is a little surprising in itself.

With Cam Newton breaking the single season quarterback rushing touchdown mark I thought I’d take a look at the Panthers’ rushing attempts inside the 5 yard line so far this season. Newton has 14 attempts for 8 touchdowns, Jonathan Stewart has 10 attempts for 1 touchdown and DeAngelo Williams has 2 attempts for 1 touchdown. Unfortunately my data doesn’t differentiate the 1 yard line or closer from the 5 but as long as Newton keeps up this percentage of success he’s going to keep running.

Chicago Bears

Johnny Knox: BYE-1-2-5-10-8-5 (31), Earl Bennett: BYE-5-6-9-4-4-1 (29), Roy Williams: BYE-6-2-8-5-1-2 (24), Kellen Davis: BYE-3-2-1-2-2-1 (11), Devin Hester: BYE-5-0-0-0-4-1 (10), Kahlil Bell: BYE-dnp-dnp-0-0-1-5 (6), Marion Barber: BYE-1-0-0-0-1-4 (6)

Caleb Hanie threw the ball 19 times and only 10 to wide receivers or tight ends. They didn’t even have a shot at stretching the defense. Aaron Rodgers threw 23 times to WR/TEs in his 30 attempts. That is how a passing offense should work I would think. And no, I agree that Hanie is not Rodgers but it’s a good goal to have.
Cincinnati Bengals

Jerome Simpson: 2-10-4-13-5-3-6 (43), A.J. Green: 10-7-2-dnp-4-11-7 (41), Andre Caldwell: 6-9-8-9-3-0-3 (38), Jermaine Gresham: dnp-dnp-5-6-9-7-7 (34), Andrew Hawkins: 0-0-6-8-3-2-1 (20), Brian Leonard: 3-2-0-5-0-4-dnp (14), Bernard Scott: 3-1-0-1-2-1-2 (10), Cedric Benson: dnp-0-1-1-5-0-1 (8)

If you own Andy Dalton you should know that Houston has only given up over 200 yards passing 4 times this season so don’t feel too bad that he finished with 189. But if you like feeling bad you can hang your head to the news that Blaine Gabbert and Luke McCown tag teamed them and threw for 198 yards!

If it wasn’t for a couple touchdowns being called back by penalties and an injury, Gresham would be right in the thick of the top 10 tight ends for the season. His 7-plus targets the last three weeks has him ranked 4th in total targets for tight ends and he’s always going to get his red zone targets.

Cleveland Browns

Greg Little: 11-8-6-8-13-7-6 (59), Ben Watson: 3-2-5-4-4-8-3 (29), Jordan Norwood: 6-1-3-2-5-5-4 (26), Chris Ogbonnaya: 8-1-2-3-2-6-2 (24), Josh Cribbs: 3-5-5-3-4-0-2 (22), Mohamed Massaquoi: dnp-1-dnp-2-3-5-7 (18), Evan Moore: 2-2-0-0-1-3-5 (13), Alex Smith: 1-0-2-0-0-0-3 (6), Peyton Hillis: dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-2-2-1 (5)

In their last two games the Browns haven’t had one RB/WR/TE top 8 fantasy points.

Dallas Cowboys

Dez Bryant: 5-9-6-8-6-15-2 (51), Laurent Robinson: 8-5-3-11-12-6-5 (50), Jason Witten: 12-7-7-3-5-6-5 (45), Demarco Murray: 3-6-7-7-4-0-1 (28), Miles Austin: 3-3-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-7 (13), Felix Jones: dnp-dnp-dnp-1-1-2-7 (11), John Phillips: 0-1-0-1-2-5-1 (10)

Dez Bryant’s target drop off from 15 to 2 is a little disheartening but he still caught a 50 yard touchdown so you can’t sob too heavily. There really is nothing about Bryant’s game that leads you to think he could possibly be behind Robinson or Austin in ability but those guys have proven their worth so there will be games that Dez doesn’t get the targets. Look at our friend Calvin Johnson. And yes, I do compare Bryant to Johnson in ability.

In Miles Austin’s first game back he led the team in targets and had a touchdown. Laurent Robinson with less time on the field now still got his targets as the third wide receiver and had the biggest game with 137 yards receiving and a touchdown. Unlike Joe Flacco, Tony Romo can spread the ball around enough to make his multiple receivers startable.

The loss of DeMarco Murray was a huge boon to Felix Jones’ looks. On top of his 16 carries in which he gained 106 yards he also had 7 targets catching 6 of them. He may have a banner day against Tampa Bay.

Denver Broncos

Eric Decker: 12-5-3-5-6-4-7 (42), Demaryius Thomas: 3-2-0-6-1-7-13 (32), Eddie Royal: 13-5-2-4-2-1-dnp (27), Matt Willis: 3-0-1-0-3-1-8 (16), Lance Ball: 3-0-1-3-0-2-6 (15), Jeremiah Johnson: dnp-dnp-dnp-1-4-0-2 (7), Daniel Fells: 1-1-0-1-1-0-1 (5)

Tim Tebow had the most pass attempts of his short career as he threw it 40 times, completing 21. A big chunk of those attempts went to Demaryius Thomas who had 13 and caught 7 of those for 78 yards and a touchdown. It’s pretty clear now that Thomas is the guy since he’s led in targets in 3 of the last 4 weeks. And with the Patriots coming up, it’s hard not to like Tebow breaking that 40-plus mark again.

Detroit Lions

Calvin Johnson: 7-BYE-20-8-8-9-4 (56), Nate Burleson: 7-BYE-9-7-7-9-6 (45), Brandon Pettigrew: 4-BYE-9-5-8-4-7 (37), Titus Young: 5-BYE-10-3-3-2-7 (30), Maurice Morris: 3-BYE-2-1-10-7-1 (24), Tony Scheffler: 3-BYE-7-3-2-3-1 (19), Kevin Smith: dnp-BYE-2-4-3-8-dnp (17), Keiland Williams: 1-BYE-0-0-4-1-2 (8), Will Heller: 0-BYE-3-3-0-1-0 (7)

Titus Young had a nice game as the coverage was smothering Calvin Johnson and saw 7 targets which was his most since Week 10. He is progressing somewhat but is still very hit and miss. He really is a step up from Nate Burleson in ability if he can just get the targets.

Brandon Pettigrew had his best game in a while which came at the expense of Tony Scheffler. If we knew Scheffler was being phased out we could go all in with Pettigrew but Scheffler could always snare a touchdown away from Pettigrew.

Green Bay Packers

Greg Jennings: BYE-8-5-6-5-13-4 (41), Jordy Nelson: BYE-6-5-7-5-4-7 (34), Jermichael Finley: BYE-7-4-3-5-11-1 (31), Donald Driver: BYE-2-4-5-2-4-6 (23), James Jones: BYE-1-1-3-4-0-3 (12), Randall Cobb: BYE-0-3-1-4-2-2 (12), James Starks: BYE-1-4-6-1-0-dnp (12), Brandon Saine: BYE-dnp-dnp-dnp-1-6-2 (9), John Kuhn: BYE-1-2-1-1-1-1 (7), Ryan Grant: BYE-0-1-0-3-1-1 (6)

Greg Jennings’ injury leaves a lot of targets to be filled but it doesn’t look like one player is just set to naturally fill that void. Besides Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley possibly seeing more targets, James Jones, Randall Cobb and Donald Driver all could see a couple more looks. Aaron Rodgers’ ability to spread the ball to every receiver possible makes me gravitate toward the playmakers like Jones and Cobb who, with more targets, have a better chance of turning them into touchdowns.

Houston Texans

Owen Daniels: 6-4-3-BYE-7-5-10 (35), Arian Foster: 4-7-4-BYE-9-4-5 (33), Kevin Walter: 9-1-1-BYE-2-4-10 (27), Jacoby Jones: 5-4-3-BYE-2-2-6 (22), Andre Johnson: dnp-dnp-dnp-BYE-3-9-dnp (12), Joel Dreessen: 2-2-1-BYE-1-1-3 (10), Derrick Mason: 2-0-2-BYE-1-dnp-3 (8), Ben Tate: 0-1-0-BYE-0-0-3 (4), James Casey: 0-1-0-BYE-2-0-0 (3), Bryant Johnson: 0-1-1-BYE-0-0-1 (3)

The return of Owen Daniels was a nice turn of events. He hadn’t topped 100 yards all season and hadn’t gotten to 10 fantasy points since Week 4. Hopefully Yates and he will take this connection into the next few games.

Arian Foster had 20 looks and 58 snaps compared to Ben Tate’s 11 and 23. Foster is still the guy but Tate is going to keep getting enough work to cut into his production a little.
Indianapolis Colts

Pierre Garcon: 15-6-6-BYE-8-12-12 (59), Reggie Wayne: 14-6-6-BYE-7-6-8 (47), Austin Collie: 7-5-5-BYE-7-8-5 (37), Jacob Tamme: 0-7-8-BYE-3-6-1 (25), Dallas Clark: 10-5-dnp-BYE-dnp-dnp-6 (21), Donald Brown: 1-3-4-BYE-1-1-1 (11), Jerome Felton: 2-dnp-0-BYE-dnp-1-0 (3), Joseph Addai: dnp-dnp-dnp-BYE-1-1-1 (3), Anthony Hill: dnp-dnp-0-BYE-0-2-1 (3), Delone Carter: 2-0-0-BYE-0-0-0 (2)

Our man Dan Orlovsky likes him some Pierre Garcon. Of course this time around they faced the Ravens instead of the Patriots. Garcon has 77 fantasy points in just 3 games and 38 in the other 10. Now that is the definition of inconsistent. I do believe Orlovsky is a better quarterback for fantasy production though and with 12 targets anything can happen.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Marcedes Lewis: 9-BYE-3-11-12-4-7 (46), Maurice Jones-Drew: 4-BYE-3-6-6-8-6 (33), Mike Thomas: 4-BYE-1-11-5-6-1 (28), Jarett Dillard: 3-BYE-2-3-5-7-6 (26), Jason Hill: 5-BYE-1-7-4-dnp-dnp (17), Chastin West: dnp-BYE-5-3-0-0-4 (12), Kassim Osgood: 0-BYE-1-0-1-0-6 (8), Deji Karim: 1-BYE-3-0-3-dnp-dnp (7), Zach Potter: 0-BYE-2-0-0-3-0 (5), Cecil Shorts: dnp-BYE-dnp-dnp-3-1-1 (5)

Holy Mojo! Maurice Jones-Drew piled up the touchdowns against the Tampa Bay run defense(less). His 4 touchdowns came close to his total of 6 on the season. I bet some of his owners wished he would have spread those out a little. Unfortunately that passing offense has been the worst in the league and getting MJD near the goal line takes an act of God week in and week out.

Blaine Gabbert has been improving but it doesn’t take much to improve from horrid.

Kansas City Chiefs

Dwayne Bowe: 11-10-7-9-11-9-10 (67), Steve Breaston: 4-11-6-8-8-7-6 (50), Jonathan Baldwin: 8-5-5-6-2-4-5 (35), Dexter McCluster: 3-4-8-2-2-5-2 (26), Leonard Pope: 1-2-5-4-1-0-0 (13), Jerheme Urban: dnp-dnp-dnp-1-0-1-7 (9), Jake OConnell: 0-3-0-6-dnp-dnp-dnp (9), Jackie Battle: 0-2-0-1-1-0-2 (6), LeRon McClain: 2-1-2-0-0-1-0 (6), Terrance Copper: 0-0-0-0-0-2-0 (2)

This game was the straw that broke Todd Haley’s back so I’m guessing we won’t find much to praise. Oh, Dwayne Bowe had another banner target day! Well, he didn’t do much with that. Jerheme Urban came out of nowhere with 7 targets and a touchdown! Watch out Jerry Rice. Who knows who the quarterback will be next week but it may be Romeo Crennel himself.

Miami Dolphins

Brandon Marshall: 6-11-9-3-10-6-8 (53), Davone Bess: 5-3-6-3-4-7-4 (32), Reggie Bush: 5-3-5-5-4-2-6 (30), Anthony Fasano: 1-3-4-2-2-6-8 (26), Brian Hartline: 2-0-3-2-5-2-1 (15), Charles Clay: 1-3-2-4-2-2-0 (14), Daniel Thomas: dnp-0-0-1-1-0-2 (4)

Daniel Thomas sure isn’t doing himself any favors by rushing 7 times for a measly 4 yards while Reggie Bush ran 14 times for 103 yards to go along with a nice 6 targets in which he caught 5 for 27 yards. We did see Bush go back to his average of 14 carries after a high of 22 last week but with Thomas continuing to struggle that number should rise again.

Matt Moore’s concussion was not the best news for Brandon Marshall but he should be back next week.

Minnesota Vikings

Percy Harvin: 5-BYE-8-8-8-9-15 (53), Devin Aromashodu: 6-BYE-6-4-5-15-10 (46), Visanthe Shiancoe: 4-BYE-4-3-4-7-7 (29), Kyle Rudolph: 5-BYE-3-5-dnp-1-4 (18), Michael Jenkins: 2-BYE-4-7-4-dnp-dnp (17), Toby Gerhart: 0-BYE-0-1-3-8-3 (15), Greg Camarillo: 0-BYE-3-2-0-0-5 (10), Adrian Peterson: 5-BYE-1-0-dnp-dnp-dnp (6), Lorenzo Booker: dnp-BYE-3-0-0-1-0 (4)

This was a poor day of quarterback play for the Vikings but that is to be expected with a rookie quarterback, but of course the good news is that the coaches have finally figured out what they have in Percy Harvin. His 15 targets and 4 rushing attempts was a beautiful sight to these old eyes. There of course were a ton of targets in this one with the Vikings getting down quickly but he outpaced the whole NFL.

New England Patriots

Rob Gronkowski: 9-15-11-7-4-6-10 (62), Wes Welker: 8-10-8-3-12-11-10 (62), Aaron Hernandez: 4-5-5-7-7-9-7 (44), Deion Branch: 7-5-9-3-10-6-2 (42), Danny Woodhead: 0-6-3-4-0-1-3 (17), Chad Ochocinco: 1-5-2-0-dnp-2-1 (11), Kevin Faulk: 5-dnp-0-dnp-0-1-1 (7), BenJarvus Green-Ellis: 0-1-0-2-0-1-1 (5)

Rob Gronkowski just needs 203 yards receiving in 3 games to beat Kellen Winslow’s single season 1,290 yards receiving that he set in 1980. Of course he trails in yardage for a tight end on the year to the tight end just below here! He did set the record for receiving touchdowns with 15 when he had 6 receptions, 160 yards and 2 touchdowns in this game so I guess that’s pretty good!

Wes Welker has 26 receptions out of 33 targets in his last 3 games. He is the Emperor of PPR.

Oh, and remember to stay away from Patriots’ running backs. Far away.

New Orleans Saints

Jimmy Graham: 8-8-12-BYE-8-9-9 (54), Marques Colston: 6-5-9-BYE-6-10-7 (43), Darren Sproles: 7-6-6-BYE-5-1-8 (33), Lance Moore: 9-3-3-BYE-7-3-6 (31), Pierre Thomas: 4-5-5-BYE-3-2-7 (26), Devery Henderson: 4-3-2-BYE-6-0-4 (19), Robert Meachem: 3-1-2-BYE-0-7-2 (15), Jed Collins: 3-1-1-BYE-0-0-2 (7), Mark Ingram: dnp-dnp-1-BYE-3-1-dnp (5), John Gilmore: 0-2-0-BYE-0-0-1 (3)

After having back spasms before and during the game Jimmy Graham still managed to catch 5 passes for 55 yards and remain on pace for 1,355 total yards on the season, which would top Winslow’s record of 1,290.

It almost looked like Drew Brees was going to miss out on his weekly touchdown pass until he hit Marques Colston in the fourth quarter twice in the end zone. Brees is still on pace to beat Dan Marino’s record for passing yardage by quite a bit.

Lance Moore continues to get red zone targets even with limited time on the field. He leads all Saints wide receivers with 14. Colston is second with 10.
New York Giants

Victor Cruz: 9-11-11-10-12-9-9 (71), Hakeem Nicks: 10-dnp-4-7-12-12-10 (55), Jake Ballard: 7-7-4-7-5-6-6 (42), Mario Manningham: 9-7-10-2-dnp-dnp-8 (36), Danny Ware: 2-2-6-3-9-3-4 (29), Brandon Jacobs: 2-5-2-4-0-1-1 (15), Ramses Barden: dnp-5-0-1-4-3-0 (13), Ahmad Bradshaw: 5-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-5-1 (11), Bear Pascoe: 1-1-3-0-1-0-1 (7), Henry Hynoski: dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-1-0-3 (4), Travis Beckum: 0-0-0-0-0-1-2 (3)

It looks like teams are taking Victor Cruz seriously which has helped Hakeem Nicks of late but Eli Manning has been on point, especially in the fourth quarter (highest QBR in the league) so it’s going to be hard stopping any of these receivers as long as they are getting targets and that they are. Nicks does have one more target than Cruz in the last 4 games so choosing between those two is once again a coin flip. Even Mario Manningham who has been out came right back and had 8 targets. Keep playing the Giants’ QB and receivers!

New York Jets

Santonio Holmes: BYE-6-8-9-9-8-4 (44), Dustin Keller: BYE-7-4-8-8-6-5 (38), Plaxico Burress: BYE-5-8-9-7-6-2 (37), Shonn Greene: BYE-0-4-1-4-4-3 (16), Jeremy Kerley: BYE-5-8-dnp-dnp-1-1 (15), Joe McKnight: BYE-1-0-7-3-2-dnp (13), LaDainian Tomlinson: BYE-3-5-dnp-dnp-1-4 (13), Patrick Turner: BYE-0-1-4-4-1-1 (11), Matthew Mulligan: BYE-0-0-0-0-2-0 (2)

Mark Sanchez has accounted for 19 touchdowns at home and 7 away. Four of his 5 rushing touchdowns have come at home but still that’s quite a discrepancy. When you look at his recent games, it’s gone good fantasy game, bad fantasy game, good fantasy … you get the picture and they coincide with home and away games. So make of that what you will.

The real fantasy star of late has been Shonn Greene. He had only topped 10 fantasy points 3 times in his first 11 games and in his last 2 he has 28 and 23. Those of course go with his highest rushing totals at 22 and 24 respectively. Giving him the rock seems to be a good thing.

Oakland Raiders

Darrius Heyward-Bey: BYE-1-0-5-10-8-9 (33), Michael Bush: BYE-3-4-2-4-6-4 (23), Kevin Boss: BYE-0-2-6-3-5-7 (23), Marcel Reece: BYE-5-1-3-7-1-4 (21), Chaz Schilens: BYE-2-0-2-8-7-2 (21), Denarius Moore: BYE-12-7-2-dnp-dnp-dnp (21), Louis Murphy: BYE-1-1-0-4-5-9 (20), Brandon Myers: BYE-1-3-3-1-6-0 (14), T.J. Houshmandzadeh: BYE-4-1-0-0-3-3 (11), Jacoby Ford: BYE-6-1-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp (7), Rock Cartwright: BYE-0-0-0-0-0-2 (2)

Darrius Heyward-Bey is the only consistent guy for targets and receptions but maybe, just maybe, Jacoby Ford or Denarius Moore will return this week and make things even harder to decipher, yeah!

Michael Bush’s yards per carry have dropped but he’s still getting all of the work and finding the end zone enough to be an easy play week in and week out.

Philadelphia Eagles

Brent Celek: 9-9-7-6-6-4-5 (46), DeSean Jackson: 6-8-dnp-8-10-4-6 (42), LeSean McCoy: 3-5-5-4-7-5-6 (35), Riley Cooper: 0-1-2-12-5-10-3 (33), Jason Avant: 5-3-1-2-14-2-4 (31), Jeremy Maclin: 3-9-5-dnp-dnp-dnp-4 (21), Clay Harbor: 1-1-1-2-1-2-1 (9), Chad Hall: dnp-dnp-dnp-0-5-1-1 (7), Owen Schmitt: 1-0-1-1-0-0-0 (3)

When an Andy Reid running back rushes 27 times and only gains 38 yards I check out my window to see if the zombie apocalypse has started. This may be the only time I question why Andy Reid ran too much! But LeSean McCoy did get into the end zone twice and they won the game! Hard to question that I guess.

This was Michael Vick’s first game back from his rib injury and he only completed 50 percent of his passes. We’ll give him a mulligan here and see if Jeremy Maclin can get healed up which would help him a lot.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Antonio Brown: 15-10-6-BYE-6-4-8 (49), Mike Wallace: 7-6-10-BYE-6-5-5 (39), Heath Miller: 9-5-5-BYE-2-3-4 (28), Jerricho Cotchery: 1-6-4-BYE-1-0-3 (15), Emmanuel Sanders: 8-dnp-dnp-BYE-4-2-dnp (14), Hines Ward: dnp-1-1-BYE-4-6-1 (13), Rashard Mendenhall: 4-2-3-BYE-2-0-0 (11), Mewelde Moore: 2-2-0-BYE-3-1-0 (8), David Johnson: 1-2-1-BYE-0-1-2 (7), Isaac Redman: 2-1-1-BYE-2-0-0 (6), Weslye Saunders: 1-0-2-BYE-1-1-0 (5)

Antonio Brown had his best game of the season which coincided with his second touchdown of the season. He doesn’t get many red zone looks which does hurt his value but his targets, receptions and yardage get the job done. From Week 6 on he is second in wide receiver receiving yards to only Victor Cruz.

San Diego Chargers

Antonio Gates: 7-11-6-4-10-7-9 (54), Vincent Jackson: 8-12-7-8-3-5-9 (52), Vincent Brown: dnp-6-9-4-10-2-0 (31), Mike Tolbert: dnp-9-9-7-4-1-1 (31), Ryan Mathews: 7-dnp-5-2-1-3-6 (24), Patrick Crayton: 4-3-5-0-2-1-3 (18), Randy McMichael: 3-1-1-3-2-3-1 (14), Malcom Floyd: 7-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-4-2 (13), Jacob Hester: 0-2-1-2-0-2-0 (7), Curtis Brinkley: 3-0-0-0-1-0-dnp (4), Kory Sperry: 0-0-1-0-0-0-1 (2)

With Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski going off this season we’ve lost track of old man Gates. He amazingly is still trucking, bad foot and all. He ranks 5th in fantasy points for tight ends even after missing 4 games. Since coming back in Week 7, Gates has more receptions, yards and touchdowns than Jimmy Graham. That would put him on the same crazy pace as Graham. So there’s that.
Seattle Seahawks

Doug Baldwin: 8-6-3-5-10-2-8 (42), Golden Tate: 4-1-3-3-3-4-7 (25), Ben Obomanu: 4-2-2-4-4-2-1 (19), Zach Miller: 5-0-4-1-2-2-3 (17), Marshawn Lynch: 0-2-7-2-3-0-2 (16), Mike Williams: dnp-3-1-5-3-2-2 (16), Justin Forsett: 1-3-0-1-1-0-5 (11), Michael Robinson: 1-0-0-1-1-4-2 (9), Anthony McCoy: 1-2-2-0-1-0-1 (7), Cameron Morrah: 5-dnp-dnp-0-dnp-0-1 (6), Deon Butler: dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-0-2 (2)

Trying to figure out which Seattle receiver is going to have a good game is nearly an impossible task. Last week it was Golden Tate and this week it was Doug Baldwin. If I’m gambling, I’m gambling on Tate but otherwise I’m staying far away.

Oh yeah, Marshawn Lynch is an unstoppable force. He may be a zombie.

San Francisco 49ers

Michael Crabtree: 9-5-4-10-9-5-12 (54), Vernon Davis: 3-7-4-10-5-8-3 (40), Braylon Edwards: 7-3-6-4-3-dnp-2 (25), Ted Ginn: 1-1-4-0-3-4-6 (19), Delanie Walker: 0-2-7-5-0-2-2 (18), Kyle Williams: 0-2-1-5-1-2-6 (17), Kendall Hunter: 0-0-3-1-1-3-3 (11), Frank Gore: 0-3-1-2-2-0-1 (9), Justin Peelle: 1-0-0-0-0-1-0 (2)

This Patrick Peterson fella is doing some good work of late and held Michael Crabtree to 7 catches for 63 yards on 12 targets. That doesn’t sound insanely amazing but holding a threat like Crabtree to under 10 yards a reception isn’t bad at all. But it was good to see the faith in Crabtree to give him all those looks. Smith and Harbaugh trust him enough that they’ll throw to him even in tight coverage.

St. Louis Rams

Brandon Lloyd: 13-13-9-14-10-2-12 (73), Brandon Gibson: 6-5-3-7-7-7-1 (36), Austin Pettis: 1-5-4-5-4-7-4 (30), Steven Jackson: 5-2-3-5-3-1-5 (24), Greg Salas: 6-9-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp (15), Lance Kendricks: 3-1-dnp-2-5-1-2 (14), Billy Bajema: 2-1-2-1-0-0-0 (6), Danario Alexander: dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-2-4 (6)

After the weird 2 target day in San Francisco, Brandon Lloyd once again saw his normal allotment. Of course Sam Bradford was hurting and hadn’t practiced much so it was a fairly disastrous game, but it’s good to see that Lloyd should remain a safe start.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Williams: BYE-8-5-11-11-9-7 (51), Kellen Winslow: BYE-6-6-11-7-5-5 (40), Arrelious Benn: BYE-2-6-6-5-4-1 (24), Kregg Lumpkin: BYE-6-7-1-3-0-3 (20), Preston Parker: BYE-4-4-2-3-3-3 (19), Dezmon Briscoe: BYE-2-2-3-0-2-7 (16), LeGarrette Blount: BYE-3-2-1-3-2-2 (13), Luke Stocker: BYE-0-0-1-0-0-1 (2)

This was a game for the ages, well, one the Bucs hope gets lost in the ages. The only bright spot was a bit of a bounce back game for LeGarrette Blount. Otherwise Josh Freeman was just terrible and it made the rest of his team follow suit. For Mike Williams’ sake, hope that Freeman is feeling better this week.

Tennessee Titans

Damian Williams: 5-7-7-11-4-7-10 (51), Nate Washington: 6-6-4-9-6-6-9 (46), Lavelle Hawkins: 5-6-1-4-7-4-4 (31), Jared Cook: 2-8-3-9-7-1-1 (31), Chris Johnson: 5-6-7-3-2-1-6 (30), Javon Ringer: 6-2-3-6-5-2-1 (25), Ahmard Hall: 2-1-0-0-2-2-0 (7), Marc Mariani: 1-1-0-1-0-1-1 (5), Craig Stevens: dnp-1-0-0-0-0-3 (4), Daniel Graham: 1-0-0-0-0-1-0 (2)

Nate Washington just keeps having big games when you think it’s time to dump him. Every week I pick Damian Williams for a big game Washington goes off for 20 fantasy points. I still see Williams as the safer play because if Washington isn’t giving you 20 points he’s giving you 2, but either way you should get ready for a bumpy ride.

I don’t want to talk about Chris Johnson.

Washington Redskins

Jabar Gaffney: 5-5-6-10-7-3-8 (44), Roy Helu: 4-17-3-2-7-6-3 (42), Santana Moss: dnp-dnp-dnp-dnp-7-12-9 (28), Donte Stallworth: 2-dnp-dnp-6-2-2-6 (18), David Anderson: dnp-dnp-3-3-dnp-6-3 (15), Darrel Young: 1-2-1-2-2-dnp-2 (10), Logan Paulsen: 0-2-1-2-2-1-0 (8), Anthony Armstrong: 4-1-0-2-1-0-0 (8)

You knew the Patriots would give this passing game a boost and it did. The loss of Fred Davis will hurt them but for now we can revel in Gaffney and Moss’ good games that we saw coming a mile away.

HacheMan · Dec 14, 2011

Matchup: Jaguars @ Falcons
Thursday Night Football

Jacksonville @ Atlanta

Two months from turning 30, Michael Turner is in the midst of his second straight late-season swoon. And it started earlier this year. Turner has one touchdown in his last five games and 139 yards on his last 47 carries (2.96 YPC). Big-bottomed and thunder-thighed, Turner is a squatty plodder in need of large lanes and a head of steam to break off sizable chunks of yardage. Facing perhaps the NFL's worst run defense in Carolina last week, Turner managed two yards or fewer on 9-of-21 rushing attempts. He was thrown for a loss five times. Most likely, Turner will require a goal-line score to pan out as a worthwhile RB2 start on Thursday night. Working in his favor is a Jaguars defense that has been touched up for 432 yards and five touchdowns on 91 carries (4.75 YPC) by opposing backs over the last four games. Working against Turner is the fact that he's an overused, declining runner playing on a short week. Fantasy owners need to be aware that Turner has little left. If he does produce, it will be mostly due to the weak opponent. ... Tony Gonzalez is the No. 3 fantasy tight end, ranking second in the league in catches at the position and third in yards. Only Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham have scored more. No defense in football has allowed more receptions to tight ends than Jacksonville, so this is a favorable matchup for Gonzo.

The Jaguars lost yet another key defensive back when promising rookie safety Chris Prosinski (thumb) joined Rashean Mathis, Derek Cox, William Middleton, and Courtney Greene on injured reserve this week. Ripping up box scores, Matt Ryan has completed 134-of-227 passes for 1,791 yards (7.89 YPA) and a 14:4 TD-to-INT ratio over the last six weeks. Ryan's on-field performance isn't as good as the stats suggest, but he's getting it done in fantasy and shouldn't struggle to pour points on an injury-decimated defense in the Georgia Dome. ... Here is Ryan's target distribution since Julio Jones returned from double hamstring strains in Week 12: Roddy White 39, Gonzalez 30, Jones 19, Harry Douglas 13. ... White has seen double-digit targets in four straight games and is the No. 6 fantasy receiver over the past five weeks. ... Douglas is off the radar with Jones back healthy. ... More of a possession receiver at Alabama, Jones has been the primary deep threat in Atlanta. His 18.1 yards-per-catch average ranks fifth in the NFL amongst players with at least 30 receptions. Jones will be the Falcons' best bet for big plays against the Jags on Thursday night.

As has been the case all season, Maurice Jones-Drew is the only viable fantasy option on the Jaguars' roster. The league leader in carries and rushing yards is enjoying the best season of his career, and is red hot with 100 total yards or more in five straight games since Jacksonville's Week 9 bye. The Falcons are playing tough run defense this year, but Jones-Drew has held his own in difficult matchups. In five games against top-ten rush defenses, MJD has averaged 107 yards from scrimmage while seeing his role in the passing offense grow. He's cleared 50 receiving yards in three consecutive weeks and now ranks third among running backs in fantasy scoring. ... With Mike Thomas (concussion) and Cecil Shorts (hamstring) set to be inactive, Jarett Dillard will be the Jaguars' No. 1 wide receiver at Atlanta. This is Dillard's third season in the NFL and he has never hit 50 yards. ... Marcedes Lewis sprinted through a sleeping Tampa secondary for a 62-yard deep shot in last week's win, and finished with a season-high 77 yards. Lewis has yet to score a touchdown this season and would be a poor fantasy tight end play against the Falcons.

Score Prediction: Falcons 30, Jaguars 10

HacheMan · Dec 14, 2011

Ranks reax: Both Bushes rate well

Eric Karabell

You know it's been a crazy fantasy football season when it's Week 15 and you're considering not one, but two players with the surname Bush for inclusion among your top 10 running backs. But that's the case as we head to the second week of the fantasy playoffs. Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush is ready to exploit the Detroit Lions, and believe it or not, Reggie Bush of the Miami Dolphins continues to show he's legit, and this week's matchup against the Buffalo Bills is pretty sweet.
Many fantasy owners want to stick to the fellows that got them this far, but the truth is both Bushes have been good enough to get their fantasy teams to meaningful mid-December games. There's still no telling when or if Darren McFadden returns to the Raiders, and Michael Bush bounced back in Week 14 with 14 fantasy points in the blowout loss at Green Bay. Despite facing a strong passing offense and falling behind very early, Michael Bush rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown. He's been at 14 fantasy points or better in five of six weeks. I ranked him in my top 10 for the week, and ESPN Fantasy projects 17 fantasy points.

On the other hand, Reggie Bush isn't waiting for his competition to return from injury. In fact, Dolphins rookie Daniel Thomas plays every week, but he continues to be inconsistent, while Reggie Bush has been anything but. Thomas ran seven times for 4 yards in Miami's Week 14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He ran well in Week 13 against the Raiders, but the week prior produced two fantasy points. The Dolphins are going nowhere, but there's little indication Reggie Bush is going to lose touches. He's rushed for 100 yards each of the past two weeks, and three times for the season. The Bills have allowed the fourth-most points to opposing running backs. ESPN Fantasy projects 16 fantasy points for Reggie Bush, and again, I concur. He barely missed my top 10 for Week 15.
Matchups continue to play a critical role in my running back choices for the week. A week ago, who would have thought Felix Jones of the Dallas Cowboys would be in demand? Well, DeMarco Murray breaks his ankle and Jones gets to face the worst run defense in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Get him active. The second-easiest team to run on is the Carolina Panthers; Arian Foster of the Houston Texans should have fun this week, but I also ranked Ben Tate as a strong flex choice.
Another team getting run all over is the Indianapolis Colts. Erratic Chris Johnson ran 14 times for 34 yards on the Colts in Week 8, so he's no lock against them this coming week. In fact, I'm not sure I can remember a stretch like what Johnson has produced of late, the quintessential all-or-nothing running back, going from 130 rushing yards in Week 10 (at Carolina) to 13 yards (at Atlanta) to 190 yards (versus Tampa Bay) to 153 yards (at Buffalo) to 23 (versus New Orleans). It's incredible. ESPN Fantasy projects more than 100 rushing yards this week, and I agree.
Here are some other thoughts about the Week 15 rankings:
Quarterback: I've written and spoken highly of Titans rookie quarterback Jake Locker this week, and when push came to shove, he was my No. 14 option. Perhaps it's too much trust for someone who has yet to start an NFL game, but he's looked good in a few relief outings … and he's facing the Colts. Plus, this didn't feel like a deep week for passers after the top nine or 10. I ranked Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets only one spot behind his Week 15 foe, Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles, and neither in the top 10. That probably says more about my lack of faith in Vick than trust in Sanchez. I also didn't give Texans rookie T.J. Yates a great rank. He's 24th. I expect 200-plus rushing yards from Foster/Tate this week.
Running back: Beanie Wells has struggled the past two weeks, averaging fewer than 3 yards per carry, but now he gets to face the Cleveland Browns, the team that has allowed the second-most rushing yards in the league. Then again, nobody can throw on the Browns, so they face more run-oriented game plans; nine teams have allowed more than Cleveland's 4.5 yards per rush. I didn't rank Wells as if I expected a monster, top-10 game, but he made my top 20. So did Marion Barber. I've had enough of considering top-20 status for BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and I don't particularly like the matchups for LeGarrette Blount and Rashard Mendenhall.
Wide receiver: The poor Kansas City Chiefs have to face Aaron Rodgers and his crew. With Greg Jennings out, I ranked James Jones better than Donald Driver. I just expect more big plays from Jones. As for other teammates, I'm also sticking with Demaryius Thomas over Eric Decker, DeSean Jackson over Jeremy Maclin, and Dez Bryant as the top Cowboys wide receiver at No. 19. Then again, I've got Laurent Robinson at No. 20 and Miles Austin 21. Flip a coin with these guys, but don't forget about Robinson. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has completed all six of his end zone throws to Robinson, but is only 8-for-26 when targeting all other receivers.

HacheMan · Dec 15, 2011

Saving Sam

Although their bitterest of rivals may be delighting in it, no one can really be happy about what’s happening to the once proud Indianapolis Colts. No one except for the St. Louis Rams, that is.

If not for the catastrophe taking place 245 miles east of the Edward Jones Dome, we’d be conducting this season’s biggest “what the heck happened?” autopsy on the 2-11 Greatest Joke on Turf, not the 0-13 Fightin’ Peytons.

Ten years removed from scoring 500 points for the third consecutive season and one year removed from watching the No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 draft take them from 1-15 to 7-9, the Rams have hit an absurd rock bottom.

Through 13 games, they’ve scored 12 offensive touchdowns. As in one followed by two. As in one fewer than Cam Newton has scored rushing.

The Rams’ 153 points are the fewest in the league by 20, and puts them on pace for 188. That’s eight less than the Jimmy Clausen “led” Panthers scored in 2010. On the bright side, it would be 13 more than the 2009 Rams scored.

The point is, for a team with defending Offensive Rookie of the Year Sam Bradford and supposedly special offensive mind Josh McDaniels calling the plays, the Rams have been unacceptably pathetic on offense. The question is, why?

You could start with an offensive line missing both of its starting tackles (who were playing terribly to begin with) and a receiver corps with only one wideout who’s proven he deserves a full-time job in the NFL, but there’s no telling where you might finish. When a team is on pace to score fewer points than the 2010 Jimmy Clausens, many, many, many things have gone terribly wrong.

Which brings us to the here and now. Whatever ails the 2011 St. Louis Rams won’t be fixed in the season’s final three games. There is one area where they can stop the bleeding, however: Bradford’s health.

Playing through a high-ankle sprain in Monday’s latest dismal loss, Bradford looked so immobile he called to mind late-era Kerry Collins. You could say that’s less than ideal for a franchise quarterback with a history of shoulder problems playing behind an offensive line featuring someone named Mark LeVoir at left tackle.

On Wednesday, Bradford revealed the injury that’s held him out of three of St. Louis’ past eight games is “going backward.” This brings us to another question: why in the heck is he playing? Although it’s true young players will only develop by playing, they won’t have a future to develop for if they suffer a career-ending injury. If Bradford’s gimpy ankle prevents him from evading a sack against the Bengals this Sunday and he gets his shoulder driven into the turf, what exactly will have been accomplished by letting him play? The Rams luck into a meaningless third win? They put themselves on pace to out-score last year’s Panthers? There isn’t exactly greatness to aspire to.

Of course, there are two people who probably think Bradford has every reason to play, coach Steve Spagnuolo and GM Billy Devaney. Theoretically still fighting for their jobs, it would behoove them not to have to go with Tom Brandstater or Kellen Clemens at quarterback. But if they are realistic, they should know their fate in St. Louis is already sealed. Why risk bringing Bradford down with them?

Here’s hoping they do what they should have done on Monday, and sit down someone who still has to worry about what the future looks like in St. Louis.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
Although he was never expected to play this week, Greg Jennings (knee) was officially ruled out for Week 15 on Wednesday. With the Packers all but assured of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, one might think a late season-injury to their No. 1 receiver has cooled them on the idea of pursuing the third perfect regular season in NFL history.

Not so, according to coach Mike McCarthy. "Our players still want to play,” were his words when asked if the Packers were considering pulling a 2009 Colts and resting their starters instead of chasing perfection.

Plans change quickly in the NFL, but at least for now it sounds like you can count on having Aaron Rodgers and company available for the final two weeks of the fantasy playoffs. “And company” includes James Jones, who should pick up a ton of Jennings’ lost snaps. Even if rookie Randall Cobb ends up taking most of Jennings’ slot routes, Jones should get enough looks to be a sneaky WR3 down the stretch. One of the more dynamic after-the-catch receivers in all of football, all Jones has lacked this season is opportunity.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
Another Wednesday, another day of no-shows at Raiders practice. Although Denarius Moore (ankle) was able to participate in his first Wednesday practice in a month, Jacoby Ford (foot) and Darren McFadden (foot) were both their usual “DNPs.”

The outlook is less bleak for Ford. After turning in a limited practice last Friday, Ford was able to get in some side work yesterday, and is reportedly able to do everything on his injured foot but cut. What that means for his Week 15 status still isn’t clear, but unlike McFadden, the Raiders’ would-be No. 1 receiver is finally making tangible signs of progress.

JAGUARS @ FALCONS RUNDOWN
Julio Jones (hamstring), Michael Turner (groin) and Harry Douglas (groin) are all listed as probable for tonight’s game. Coming off a three-catch, 104-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Panthers, Jones could be in for a massive night against a Jaguars secondary that’s opted to leave Drew Coleman in the slot and start journeyman Ashton Youboty and undrafted rookie Kevin Rutland at cornerback. … The same cannot be said for Turner. Averaging just 60 yards over his past three starts, he’s taking the ball 3.4 yards per carry since Week 12. Facing a Panthers’ run defense in Week 14 that’s made many plodders look like superstars, Turner could reel off only 76 yards on 21 carries. With Atlanta’s game-plan likely to focus on attacking Jacksonville’s unraveling secondary, Turner could be an afterthought if the Falcons don’t get out to a huge early lead. … Mike Thomas (concussion) and Cecil Shorts (hamstring) have both been ruled out for the Jaguars, leaving Jarett Dillard, Chastin West and Kassim Osgood as Blaine Gabbert’s top-three receivers. Tonight could be the low-point of what has been a disastrous rookie season for the No. 10 overall pick.

INJURY QUICK SLANTS
Adrian Peterson (ankle) was officially limited in Vikings practice, but will return from his three-game absence Sunday, barring a setback. … Jimmy Graham (back) practiced in full, and is in no danger of missing Week 15 despite some lingering pain. … Graham’s teammate Mark Ingram (turf toe) remained sidelined, however, casting doubt on his Sunday status, as well as his assertion that he’s dealing with a “minor” case of the most ridiculously named injury in sports. … Matt Moore (concussion, neck) missed Dolphins practice, but is tentatively expected to start Sunday. … Kevin Smith (ankle) was held out of Lions practice, but was able to get in some work on the side, and will be on track to start against Oakland if he can get on the field this afternoon. … James Stark (ankle) missed Packers practice and is “uncertain” for Week 15. Ryan Grant should be in for a heavy workload against the Chiefs. … Kyle Orton (finger) and Kevin Kolb (concussion) were both limited. Orton is a good bet to play this weekend, while Kolb’s status remains up in the air. … Matt Hasselbeck (calf) did not participate in Titans practice, while Jake Locker (ribs) was limited. At the moment, consider it 51-49 Locker starts. … Michael Vick (ribs) sat out of Eagles practice, while Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) was limited. Both are expected to play in Week 15.

HacheMan · Dec 15, 2011

Week 15 Rankings

The Jets are the last team Michael Vick wants to see. The Eagles won last week, but the offense looked worse than ever.

Vick was rusty against Miami after his time off. He was inaccurate and didn’t recognize what Dolphins blitzers were coming. Philly’s interior offensive line caved and Jeremy Maclin pulled up lame at receiver. Vick didn’t look comfortable, leaving the pocket too early like the old Vick. He’s regressed.

Rex Ryan defenses devour confused quarterbacks. Darrelle Revis will take away DeSean Jackson and Vick won’t know where the pressure is coming from.

I’m worried as a LeSean McCoy owner because the Eagles line looked so bad last week, but I’m not going to outsmart myself. McCoy plays. www.rapsports.com

If you made it this far despite drafting Vick, try making it another week without him. A wildly disappointing fantasy season from the lefty is likely to get worse.

Week 15 Quarterbacks

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Drew Brees</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Aaron Rodgers</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Tom Brady</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Tony Romo</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Eli Manning</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Cam Newton</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Matthew Stafford</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Tim Tebow</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Matt Ryan</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Philip Rivers</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Ben Roethlisberger</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>Ignoring the drama</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Michael Vick</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Joe Flacco</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Carson Palmer</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Rex Grossman</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Andy Dalton</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Matt Moore</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>Questionable(neck)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Mark Sanchez</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Jake Locker</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Josh Freeman</TD><TD>vs. DAL</TD><TD>Questionable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Christian Ponder</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>T.J. Yates</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Seneca Wallace</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Ryan Fitzpatrick</TD><TD>vs. MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Dan Orlovsky</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Alex Smith</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>John Skelton</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Tyler Palko</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Tarvaris Jackson</TD><TD>at CHI</TD><TD>Probable(pectorals)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Sam Bradford</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Caleb Hanie</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Blaine Gabbert</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

QB Notes: This should be the week Drew Brees makes damn sure he gets that yardage record. Enjoy. Last week was all about dump offs and a conservative approach because the game dictated that. The Vikings secondary will dictate deep shots. … I said last week was Tim Tebow’s toughest test yet and would bench him in a lot of formats. This week is the opposite. The Patriots defense is the king of soft zones. They aren’t physical and they don’t confuse quarterbacks. They will probably limit Tebow’s running, but this should be a great game for Tebow’s passing numbers.

Philip Rivers is back. His performance against Buffalo was almost flawless. I only charted three bad passes in the game, and two were underthrown deep shots. He was in rhythm and had pinpoint accuracy on his intermediate throws. The opponents have helped a lot the last two weeks, but Rivers also made some tough throws into tight windows. The key has been protection. Will it hold up against Baltimore? I doubt it, but Rivers has played well enough lately to give him the edge over other shaky QB1 options like Carson Palmer and Michael Vick.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is on tilt. He’s missing routine throws. The quality of his wideouts and timing is a factor, but he’s also very erratic, struggling with some basic stuff, and forcing throws. … The Texans are a tough matchup, but it’s hard to imagine benching Cam Newton. I struggled with where to rank him this week. You could make an argument for Stafford over Newton, but no lower than that. … Ben Roethlisberger’s injury doesn’t really scare me. And you can throw some on the 49ers. They will spread San Francisco out.

Joe Flacco and Rex Grossman would both make for sneaky plays if you are desperate this week. … Carson Palmer may get Denarius Moore back this week, but that’s only worth a small bump in his value.


Week 15 Running Backs

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Arian Foster</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Ray Rice</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Maurice Jones-Drew</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Adrian Peterson</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Chris Johnson</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>LeSean McCoy</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Marshawn Lynch</TD><TD>at CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Beanie Wells</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Felix Jones</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Shonn Greene</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Willis McGahee</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Michael Turner</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>Probable(groin)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Ryan Mathews</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Reggie Bush</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Roy Helu</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Cedric Benson</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Michael Bush</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Darren Sproles</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Kevin Smith</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Steven Jackson</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Rashard Mendenhall</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Frank Gore</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Ahmad Bradshaw</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Ben Tate</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Jonathan Stewart</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>C.J. Spiller</TD><TD>vs. MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Marion Barber</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>LeGarrette Blount</TD><TD>vs. DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Ryan Grant</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Brandon Jacobs</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>DeAngelo Williams</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Peyton Hillis</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>BenJarvus Green-Ellis</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Pierre Thomas</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>James Starks</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Chris Ivory</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Mike Tolbert</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Donald Brown</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Maurice Morris</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Daniel Thomas</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Montario Hardesty</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>Probable(calf)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Toby Gerhart</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>LaDainian Tomlinson</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Danny Woodhead</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>Questionable(abdomen)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Dexter McCluster</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Jackie Battle</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>Probable(-)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Bernard Scott</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Ricky Williams</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Joseph Addai</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Kendall Hunter</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Jason Snelling</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Lance Ball</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Brandon Saine</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>Questionable(concussion)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Stevan Ridley</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

RB Notes: Just when you think Chris Johnson has turned it around, he pulls out an epic stinkbomb. He also cost the Titans a chance to win by not making Malcolm Jenkins miss with a ton of open field room on one fourth quarter play. Johnson came up a yard short of a first down, and the Titans never converted. I’m tired of the rollercoaster, but you just can’t sit him on turf against the Colts. Play him and hope.

Tough call with Ryan Mathews this week. I liked him a lot more than Wesseling. It’s a case of taking a talented player at the top of his game despite a tough matchup. And the matchup is very tough. Mathews is running with great decisiveness. When he sees a hole, he hits it hard. He’s good in short yardage. The Chargers are giving him the ball a ton. Mathews had 10 carries in the first quarter last week. Mike Tolbert probably only vultured a score because Mathews had so many carries on that drive. … C.J. Spiller really didn’t run that poorly last week, but the opportunities were scarce because of the score. Life probably won’t get better against a strong Dolphins front.

I couldn’t believe my eyes watching Reggie Bush run last week. Everything was decisive and one cut. Almost all of his yards came between the tackles. He even ran a defender or two over during the game. He’s a great option against Buffalo. … Mike Shanahan hasn’t tricked us. Roy Helu really is reliable. … Kevin Smith has earned the right to be in most lineups as long as he’s on the field. It’s a good matchup. … Steven Jackson showed last week he can still get some yards against a tough defense. He’s a decent RB2.

Ben Tate isn’t a bad option this week. Houston should be able to run all over Carolina and Tate is playing better than ever right now. … Willis McGahee’s off week doesn’t scare me. The Broncos should rack up plenty of yards and points against the Patriots. … I agree with Silva that Michael Turner could struggle this week, but it’s also a game I see the Falcons scoring in the 30s. That should lead to some goal-line tries for Turner.


Week 15 Wide Receivers

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Calvin Johnson</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Roddy White</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Wes Welker</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Hakeem Nicks</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Mike Wallace</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Victor Cruz</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Percy Harvin</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Marques Colston</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Jordy Nelson</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Larry Fitzgerald</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Vincent Jackson</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Steve Smith</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Julio Jones</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>A.J. Green</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Dez Bryant</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Miles Austin</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Antonio Brown</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Dwayne Bowe</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Brandon Marshall</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>Probable(quadriceps)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Laurent Robinson</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>Probable(shoulder)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Mike Williams</TD><TD>vs. DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Stevie Johnson</TD><TD>vs. MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Santonio Holmes</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Santana Moss</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Michael Crabtree</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>Probable(foot)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Brandon Lloyd</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Anquan Boldin</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>DeSean Jackson</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Eric Decker</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Demaryius Thomas</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Pierre Garcon</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>James Jones</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Plaxico Burress</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Jeremy Maclin</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>Probable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Reggie Wayne</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Denarius Moore</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Mario Manningham</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Malcom Floyd</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Lance Moore</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Jabar Gaffney</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Torrey Smith</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Nate Burleson</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Doug Baldwin</TD><TD>at CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Nate Washington</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>Questionable(ankle)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Golden Tate</TD><TD>at CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Kevin Walter</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Donald Driver</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>Probable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Damian Williams</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Deion Branch</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>Questionable(groin)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Jerome Simpson</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>Questionable(knee)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Johnny Knox</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Jacoby Ford</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>Ranked just in case</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Greg Little</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Darrius Heyward-Bey</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Devin Aromashodu</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Brandon LaFell</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Steve Breaston</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Titus Young</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Andre Roberts</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>David Nelson</TD><TD>vs. MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

WR Notes: J.P. Losman played as frenetic as you’d expect last week. If Losman is in, Brandon Marshall is a shaky option. … The Titans figure to go with a run-based approach against the Colts. Jake Locker made some very nice passes last week, but he leaves the pocket too quickly. He’s looked promising, but the Titans will play things conservatively. … Vincent Jackson isn’t getting his usual separation on the deep ball and Philip Rivers is underthrowing him. It makes Jackson a bit of a dicey play against Baltimore, but he’s hard to sit.

Stevie Johnson has a small margin for error because he doesn’t have great speed or a great quarterback. When he catches a deep ball, Johnson gets caught from behind. He also has a drop or two a week. I don’t love him this week, and it’s not because of his injury situation. … Kyle Orton will help out Dwayne Bowe a great deal compared to Tyler Palko. … The Bucs defense ends slumps. I’m not sure which Cowboys wideout to place the highest, but I’d feel good about playing any one of them.

Santana Moss got his big score on a gimmick play, but he’s getting a ton of targets and is a worth WR2/3. … Johnathan Joseph is good, but I still wouldn’t sit Steve Smith. A.J. Green beat Joseph a number of times last week and could have had a bigger day in the box score. Darrelle Revis is the only cornerback that truly scares me as a fantasy owner. … The Bucs should be playing from behind, which means a lot of pass attempts and targets for Mike Williams.


Week 15 Tight Ends

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Rob Gronkowski</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jimmy Graham</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>Questionable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Antonio Gates</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Jason Witten</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Tony Gonzalez</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Jermichael Finley</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Brandon Pettigrew</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Owen Daniels</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Aaron Hernandez</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Dustin Keller</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Kellen Winslow</TD><TD>vs. DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Anthony Fasano</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>Probable(ribs)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Vernon Davis</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Dallas Clark</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>Questionable(leg)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Brent Celek</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>Probable(hip)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Greg Olsen</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>Probable(back)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Jermaine Gresham</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>Questionable(hamstring)</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Jake Ballard</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Evan Moore</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Heath Miller</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Marcedes Lewis</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Jared Cook</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Ed Dickson</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Tony Scheffler</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Visanthe Shiancoe</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

TE Notes: Aaron Hernandez is so close, but can’t get over the hump. He doesn’t make defenders pay for one-on-one coverage enough and drops too many passes, especially around the goal line. A big game should be coming. I’d stay patient with him. The Broncos safeties can be exploited. … I knew Antonio Gates was back when he started hopping on his aching heel while running backwards after scoring a touchdown last week. He’s making sharp cuts again and looking comfortable. … Brent Celek got plenty of targets last week and fought for yardage. He’s not a bad option.

Week 15 Team Defense

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Packers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Steelers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Cardinals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Falcons Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Fortyniners Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Seahawks Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Ravens Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Bengals Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Bears Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Titans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Giants Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Dolphins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Lions Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Jets Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Texans Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Cowboys Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Saints Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Patriots Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Browns Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Bills Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Eagles Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Panthers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Raiders Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Rams Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Redskins Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Colts Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Broncos Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Chargers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Buccaneers Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Jaguars Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Vikings Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Chiefs Def/Spec Team</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Week 15 Kickers
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Opponent</TD><TD>Notes</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>John Kasay</TD><TD>at MIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Stephen Gostkowski</TD><TD>at DEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Mason Crosby</TD><TD>at KC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Sebastian Janikowski</TD><TD>vs. DET</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Jason Hanson</TD><TD>at OAK</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Rob Bironas</TD><TD>at IND</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Lawrence Tynes</TD><TD>vs. WAS</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>David Akers</TD><TD>vs. PIT</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Matt Bryant</TD><TD>vs. JAC</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Dan Bailey</TD><TD>at TB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Matt Prater</TD><TD>vs. NE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Mike Nugent</TD><TD>at STL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Neil Rackers</TD><TD>vs. CAR</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Ryan Longwell</TD><TD>vs. NO</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Nick Folk</TD><TD>at PHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Steven Hauschka</TD><TD>at CHI</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Alex Henery</TD><TD>vs. NYJ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Billy Cundiff</TD><TD>at SD</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Shaun Suisham</TD><TD>at SF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Olindo Mare</TD><TD>at HOU</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Nick Novak</TD><TD>vs. BAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Robbie Gould</TD><TD>vs. SEA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Connor Barth</TD><TD>vs. DAL</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Phil Dawson</TD><TD>at ARZ</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Dan Carpenter</TD><TD>at BUF</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Dave Rayner</TD><TD>vs. MIA</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Graham Gano</TD><TD>at NYG</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Jay Feely</TD><TD>vs. CLE</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Adam Vinatieri</TD><TD>vs. TEN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Josh Brown</TD><TD>vs. CIN</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Ryan Succop</TD><TD>vs. GB</TD><TD>-</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Josh Scobee</TD><TD>at ATL</TD><TD>Questionable (groin</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>