NFL Fantasy News 2012

HacheMan · Nov 27, 2012

Backups getting opportunities to shine

November 27. 2012 - Injuries can open doors for players, but they aren't always the ones you expect. And just because backups get a chance to start, it doesn't mean they're going to be as good as the players they are replacing. After all, there most likely is a reason they weren't starters in the first place.ON TWITTER: Follow David Dorey (@DMDorey)
RB Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos: With Willis McGahee on injured reserve, the assumption was that Ronnie Hillman would see an increase in workload. Instead, Moreno not only rushed for 85 yards but also added four catches for 26 yards while Hillman had three carries for nine yards. Don't try to make sense of it. Just grab Moreno and enjoy his favorable upcoming schedule.
RB Michael Bush, Chicago Bears: Starter Matt Forte reinjured the same ankle he sprained in Week 2. With the Seattle Seahawks visiting this week, the Bears cannot afford to be short at running back. Bush (21 carries, 60 yards, two TDs in Week 12) will fill in as the starter if needed since Forte could end up as a game-time decision.
RB David Wilson, New York Giants: Wilson is an explosive player who has been limited to special teams as a returner. He now gets more playing time after Andre Brown suffered a broken leg. Wilson (5-9, 205) and Brown (6-0, 227) are not equally used, so don't look for Wilson to inherit the role that allowed Brown to score eight times. But Wilson will see at least an uptick in playing time. Games against the Washington Redskins and New Orleans Saints will benefit Wilson even if he is just relief for Bradshaw.
QB Charlie Batch, Pittsburgh Steelers: Batch completed 20 of 34 passes for 199 yards with three intercepetions and no scores against the Cleveland Browns. His level of play affected the entire team and left Mike Wallace with no catches and Jonathan Dwyer as the lead rusher with 19 yards. The Steelers also fumbled eight times and lost five of them. This weekend's trip to Baltimore is a must-win game. Look for Ben Roethlisberger to get the call over Batch against the Ravens, despite bad ribs and a sore shoulder.
TE Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots: On the plus side, Hernandez played for the fourth time this season. Tom Brady passed for 323 yards and three scores but only three of his completions went to tight ends. (Hernandez did have a touchdown called back for offensive pass interference.) With no Rob Gronkowski, Brady looked more often toward wide receiver Julian Edelman in a blowout of the New York Jets. Hernandez (two catches, 36 yards) will see more use in the coming weeks, particularly against the visiting San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans in Weeks14 and 15.
RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Atlanta Falcons: The speedster had 10 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown and added two receptions for 30 yards at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His touches are increasing as the season progresses as Michael Turner's game declines. While Turner did score in three of the last four games, he has 41 carries for 78 yards and a 1.9 yard average over the past three weeks. Rodgers had 18 carries for 94 yards and a 5.2-yard average in that time. Turner will remain the goal-line back but Rodgers is making a bigger impact.
WR Pierre Garcon, Redskins: Finally healthy enough to play at the Dallas Cowboys, Garcon led the team in receiving with five catches for 93 yards. He scored on a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter and his seven targets were a team high. With the Redskins playing host to the Giants and Ravens next, Garcon will be relied on even more heavily in games where the rushing effort is not going to account for much. That's perfect timing with the fantasy playoffs approaching.
WR Cole Beasley, Cowboys: Kevin Ogletree was ruled out of the Redskins game because of a concussion, and Beasley had a surprising day in his place. He was targeted 13 times — two more than any other Cowboys receiver — catching seven for 68 yards. QB Tony Romo is not shy about throwing his way, and Miles Austin injured his hip and could be unavailable this weekend. That could move Beasley up the receiver depth chart for the home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
WR Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati Bengals: The rookie caught a season-high five passes for a 29 yards, but he scored twice. In fact, he has scored in each of the last three games even though he has yet to gain more than 47 yards in any game. With Andrew Hawkins out because of a knee injury, Sanu has gained the confidence of QB Andy Dalton when the goal line is near. Considering how much attention A.J. Green commands from the secondary, Sanu can thrive on the other side.
TE Robert Housler, Arizona Cardinals: The second-year tight end comes off a career-best game with eight catches for 82 yards. Rookie QB Ryan Lindley targeted him 11 times against the St. Louis Rams, the same as wideouts Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts. He is still inconsistent and has yet to score an NFL touchdown, but at least he is moving in the right direction and bears watching for next season when there likely will be yet another starting quarterback in Arizona.

HacheMan · Nov 27, 2012

Backup wide receivers making an impact

November 27. 2012 - No position offers more quality fantasy options than wide receiver. That is not only because of the number of players at the position but also because so many seem to emerge as the season goes on.As usual, there are some receivers who didn't have much fantasy value when the season began but now are rewarding owners on a weekly basis. Here are three receivers owners need to consider getting into their starting lineups.
Ryan Broyles, Detroit Lions: Broyles has seen his fantasy value increase over the second half of the season because of Nate Burleson's injury and Titus Young's off-field issues. Starting in place of suspended Young on Thanksgiving, Broyles burned the Houston Texans for 126 yards on six catches. He has scored double-digit fantasy points in point-per-reception leagues four times since Week 7. Broyles is making the most of his opportunities, and quarterback Matthew Stafford is showing more confidence in him as the weeks progress.
Julian Edelman, New England Patriots: Edelman has been red hot of late, scoring four touchdowns (two receiving, two on special teams) in New England's last two games. Edelman suffered a head injury against the New York Jets. But when he's been healthy, the Patriots have found ways to get him involved in the offense. Tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to be out for at least two more weeks, and with defenses focused on stopping Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez, Edelman's emergence as a productive fantasy receiver should continue.
Brandon Stokley, Denver Broncos: Slot receivers in Peyton Manning's offense always seem to have fantasy value. Over the last month, Stokley has benefited from defenses paying extra attention to Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. In his last three games, Stokley has caught 12 balls for 171 yards and two touchdowns while scoring double-digit fantasy points each of those weeks in PPR formats. Stokley is not a guy you will start every week, but fantasy owners can do a lot worse than one of Manning's favorite targets if they need a receiver in a pinch.

HacheMan · Nov 28, 2012

Reax: Dissecting my Packers WR ranks

Eric Karabell
PrintThe Green Bay Packers offense has served many a fantasy owner well in recent years, but in three of the past four games, Aaron Rodgers and his weapons haven't exactly performed like studs. This week things get even more complicated at wide receiver with the expected return of another weapon, confusing things even more for fantasy owners. This is shown in the staff's Week 13 rankings, as three Packers wide receivers earned a spot in our top 30, with a fourth in the top 40. With the team having so much depth, however, it seems a bit dangerous to truly rely on any of them.

<offer>Watching the Packers play the past few weeks, it's hard to flag the loss of Greg Jennings as hampering Rodgers from putting up big numbers. Jennings hasn't played since Week 4, as we've seen far too much of him in commercials rather than getting open out of the slot. He's supposedly healed following abdominal surgery and is now practicing regularly, and his owners can expect him to be active Sunday. That said, Packers coach Mike McCarthy noted in his Tuesday news conference that he was taking a wait-and-see approach with regard to how many snaps Jennings would ultimately get. After all, the Packers do have depth. It sure would be nice if Rodgers had proper time to look for it.

</offer>
Randall Cobb has thrived in Jennings' absence, and James Jones has certainly had his moments, scoring eight touchdowns. Oh, and Jordy Nelson is healthy, too, and tight end Jermichael Finley has totaled a reasonable 17 fantasy points over the past two weeks. I can't speak for my colleagues, but my Packers wide receiver rankings were Nelson, Cobb, Jennings and then Jones, and in each case my ranking was worse than the staff average. There's still only one football to go around, and this awesome depth still doesn't solve the problem that the team isn't protecting Rodgers well enough, which is a big reason he has failed to exceed 15 fantasy points in three of those past four games.

Don't worry too much about Rodgers; he has lit up the Minnesota Vikings before, and will do so again. But I found other quarterbacks I did like better this week (Matt Ryan against the New Orleans Saints, for example), settling on Rodgers at No. 5. That's hardly outrageous unless one wants to rank based on name value. After all, Rodgers ranks fourth in standard scoring for the season. The Vikings kept Chicago Bears passer Jay Cutler relatively in check in Week 11, but before that, they permitted three-touchdown performances by Josh Freeman, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford. Rodgers can do it, too. The Vikings are in the middle of the NFL pack in generating sacks, but Rodgers was running for his life against the New York Giants just a few days ago (the loss of right tackle Bryan Bulaga really hurts), nobody has been sacked more this season, and the running game remains underwhelming. It's an interesting matchup.

My advice for those that have waited months for Jennings to return is to not exalt him to starter status yet. I ranked Jennings 36th, which isn't so bad considering there are no teams on bye. Injury expert Stephania Bell seems confident Jennings is ready, but there's always risk when a player has been out so long and snaps aren't guaranteed. I would trust Nelson the most; he was Rodgers' top game-breaker last season, when he scored 15 touchdowns, and he scored on a 61-yard play Sunday night. Meanwhile, you should expect Cobb to lose some snaps to Jennings. The Packers should use the versatile Cobb more out of the backfield and on screens to get him extra touches. Jones wasn't targeted against the Giants, which is troubling for his value. Reasonable minds can debate whether Nelson or Cobb is a safe WR2 option, but Jennings brings risk -- name value is a dangerous thing! -- and Jones is clearly fourth in this crew.

Quarterback: I admit to being surprised that none of the rankers placed Colin Kaepernick in the top 10. Remember, the St. Louis Rams got a close look at the running quarterback just a few weeks ago. I'd prefer Andrew Luck and Andy Dalton. … Many people just don't trust Tony Romo, but the Philadelphia Eagles have permitted 69 fantasy points to quarterbacks in the past fortnight. Honestly, there's little risk in starting Romo. … I did not rank the injured Ben Roethlisberger, but if he were deemed healthy by Friday, which I seriously doubt, he'd barely make my top 20 anyway for his matchup in Baltimore.

Running back: I've been asked a lot this week about my Michael Turner ranking (19th). Look, just because he was awful in Week 10 against the Saints doesn't mean a repeat disappointment is coming. Turner has scored three of the past four weeks. … If Darren McFadden suits up, he would not make my top 20, and I would not drop Marcel Reece more than a spot or two. He's at No. 25 now, and probably should be top 20. … We all ranked Bryce Brown over Knowshon Moreno, and as a safe RB2, which seems a bit odd based solely on one performance. … How far has DeAngelo Williams fallen? Even with Jonathan Stewart likely out, he can't break into the top 30.

Wide receiver: Hey, there are 46 spots for non-Packers! Hakeem Nicks is back to near-top-10 status. … Cecil Shorts doesn't have the big name, but he made my top 15. He gets numbers every week. Will the Buffalo Bills stop him or Justin Blackmon? It's all about Chad Henne! … Antonio Brown (ankle) is expected back Sunday, and we all ranked Mike Wallace over him. I have a feeling that could change in Week 14.

HacheMan · Nov 29, 2012

Start stars over Week 12 flashes

November 28. 2012 - How realistic were some Week 12 risers? Are they legit enough for you to doubt or sit your star players? In most cases, you need to keep the faith in your squad's cornerstones.MORE FROM KFFL: Fantasy news and advice for Week 13
Studs
QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: The Cheese showed holes Sunday night, but as long as they contain the Minnesota Vikings' Jared Allen, they'll get by. Though Rodgers has throw for just three scores over his last two games and hasn't topped 300 yards in any of his last four, expect a dominant performance versus one of his favorite passing pushovers.
RB Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns: Despite reaching the end zone last weekend, he's averaged just 3.16 yards per carry over his last two games. Luckily, Richardson has been on the receiving end as well with 41 receptions to help boost his fantasy value. He faces the Oakland Raiders' run defense, which has allowed a league-high 28.8 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields over the past month.
WR Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning loves to get the ball to his best after-the-catch playmaker. Thomas has topped seven targets in each of his last five games and has seen fewer than six once all year. In allowing 205.5 yards and 1.25 scores to wideouts in the last four, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have walked the plank. With Eric Wright suspended, their stormy secondary depths will continue sinking them.
WR Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants: While Victor Cruz continues struggling with increasingly physical coverage, Nicks displayed a vintage look over his last two games: 14 catches, 152 yards and a score. The Washington Redskins secondary is battered in health and ability, so Nicks should cause an even bigger statistical landslide.
TE Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints: Graham's recent performances have hardly been elite, but in case you thought about benching him: Don't. His eight touchdowns rank second to Rob Gronkowski, and Graham will revisit Week 10, when he soared over the same Atlanta Falcons with 146 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches.
Duds
RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, Arizona Cardinals: His two goal line crossings canceled out a dismal average of 2.8 yards a carry. That's the way it'll work with Wells; you'll need him to break the plane. The New York Jets have been one of the league's most susceptible run defenses, but with Ryan Lindley taking snaps and Antonio Cromartie covering Larry Fitzgerald, they'll stack the box against Wells.
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals: Back-to-back showings of 100-plus yards and a score will cement you in plenty of lineups. That momentum, however, is primarily a product of his last two opponents: the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. In Week 13, he'll be shocked by the San Diego Chargers, one of the toughest fantasy matchups for running backs not named Ray Rice.
WR Danny Amendola, St. Louis Rams: Benching him after his one-catch effort last week may be a bit extreme, considering his Week 10 outing versus these San Francisco 49ers (11 catches, 102 yards). Still, he's coming off a limited workload as he continues gutting out his bum foot and the Niners will have a game plan for him. With Amendola snuffed out, Sam Bradford looks like a rookie.
RB Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos: If you own Moreno in a point-per-reception format, he's likelier to break even. But Tampa Bay's wall between the tackles has been one of the best in the league. Plus, his surprising Week 12 workload came against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos may change things up this week as they look to abuse the Bucs' shoddy aerial coverage.
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Pittsburgh Steelers: Dwyer had a notable outing two weeks ago against a Baltimore Ravens unit that's less daunting than in years past. Unfortunately, just because Dwyer is the new top backfield dog doesn't mean he'll have a hearty meal again. Isaac Redman and the demoted Rashard Mendenhall will continue to rotate in, and with Ben Roethlisberger (rib, shoulder) unlikely to replace Charlie Batch for Week 13, the ravenous Ravens will prepare even more for a ground assault.
Sleepers
RB DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers: Jonathan Stewart's high ankle sprain finally unshackles Williams, who's been an afterthought for most of the year. Mike Tolbert may steal inside-the-5 opportunities, but the Chiefs lay out a welcome mat for the often-explosive Williams. Patient owners awaiting lead-back work for Ron Rivera's expensive placeholder should jump at the chance to use him.
WR Ryan Broyles, Detroit Lions: Titus Young's seat in Jim Schwartz's doghouse and Broyles' 12-target, six-catch, 126-yard Thanksgiving put the mighty mite near the top of Matthew Stafford's pecking order. The Indianapolis Colts' pass defense could struggle covering the Lions' new weapon.
TE Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans: A new offensive system with more vertical freedom should unchain Jake Locker. Cook stands to break loose, as well. The Houston Texans have struggled versus this position and quarterbacks overall thanks to key injuries.
WR Cole Beasley, Dallas Cowboys: Miles Austin (hip, back) and Kevin Ogletree (concussion) are questionable for Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, who've been relatively fantasy-friendly to wide receivers. Beasley, the rookie slot man, looked quite comfortable with seven catches on 13 Turkey Day targets following Austin's departure.
New York Jets defense: As previously mentioned, a team that's attacking the Cardinals' Lindley stands as a noteworthy one-off play. As long as they cover Fitzgerald, the Jets should get a decent pass rush on the rookie slinger. Lindley has been sacked five times and thrown four picks in the last two weeks.

HacheMan · Nov 29, 2012

Drop 'em like they're hot

By Matthew Berry | ESPN.com

Congratulations!

Seriously, if you have a reason to read this column in Week 13, your season has gone better than it's gone worse, you're still alive, and, in a tough, injury-filled season, that's an impressive accomplishment. So, well done, Internet friend!

My philosophy in general is to be risk-averse unless there is massive upside that makes the risk worth it, but, in Week 13 especially, I like to go safe and conservative unless I'm in a situation in which, for whatever reason, I need to swing for the fences. So today's column is with that in mind.

I'm actually putting my warning up top this week in the desperate hope that you'll use this column correctly. Please read my ranks if you are wondering whom to start between two players. Yes, I have Andrew Luck on the "hate" list. But I'm still playing him over, say Joe Flacco. Every week, I get the "I have so-and-so and so-and-so, but you have (one of them) on your hate list, what should I do?" What you should do, my friend, is check my rankings. Or, better yet, go with your own gut. You know your team and rules better than anyone, it's do-or-die time, you're the only one who has to live with what happens. Make a call you believe in, not just what I or anyone else thinks. Remember that.

I will say that, in many cases, your season is now one game long. If there is someone on your waiver wire who can help you, go out and get him. And with that in mind, here's a list of players I would have no issue dropping if you aren't planning to start them. I'm not saying you must drop them, but merely that, if you are not planning to start them, there's no need to have them on your team if there's a free-agent defense or a one-week running back who can help you win now.

Here's a list of players owned in more than 50 percent of ESPN.com leagues, by position, who don't need to be carried on your bench if there are more helpful guys out there who can help you right now, or handcuffs to your starters who would become more valuable than your current player should an injury befall him.

Quarterbacks: Michael Vick, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, Joe Flacco.

Running backs: Vick Ballard, Rashard Mendenhall, Willis McGahee (73 percent owned still!), Isaac Redman, Donald Brown, Felix Jones, Any Saints running back not named Darren Sproles, Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, Peyton Hillis.

Wide receivers: DeSean Jackson, Brandon Lloyd (sigh -- officially my worst call of the year), Antonio Brown, Anquan Boldin, Robert Meachem, Nate Washington, Jeremy Maclin, Titus Young, Andre Roberts, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Mario Manningham.

Tight end: I almost never carry more than one tight end. Unless you have a really good guy who is injury-prone (Aaron Hernandez) who can sometimes be a late scratch, I would keep only the guy you're starting on your roster.

Again, if you need to win to get in, your season is one game. Get in and worry about next week next week. Maximize your roster slots. Be smart and safe where you can. And I have no issue with picking up a player who has no use to you but would help your opponent. Often, a good offense is just a good defense and, hey, that guy had a shot at the free agent, as well. You snooze, you lose. This is do-or-die time. As long as it is within the rules, you do what you gotta do. Take, for example, the case of Andy. He's been running a league with high school friends since 1997. It's a coed league with three women and nine guys, and it includes one married couple. Well, it did.

Just before the season started, the league learned that the couple were divorcing. But it was an amicable divorce, and both said they would like to continue to be in the league and neither had an issue with the other staying in. So the season starts and, in what might be a fantasy football league first, "Another female owner in the league, who is friends with the wife, swooped in and started dating the husband before the divorce papers were even signed!" Andy told me.

The drama doesn't stop there, Andy explained. "She has never said anything about it to the wife, her now former friend, of course, and the wife had to find out about the relationship via Facebook."

So, here we are in Week 13 and Andy needs to win to make the playoffs. And the team he is facing? The "swooper." The swooper has the highest-scoring team in the league, so Andy is already an underdog, but there is a glimmer of hope in this 12-team league. The swooper just lost Willis McGahee, and, like most of us, had backed him up with Ronnie Hillman. Which means Knowshon Moreno is still out on the wire. The swooper has $34 left in FAAB money, and Andy has only $28 left.

Down but not out, Andy realizes he has to leave it all out on the virtual field. What he does next is as good an example of an "Oh yeah? This isn't over until I say it's over!" move in fantasy football as I've ever seen. Because, you see, the ex-wife has $80 left in FAAB.

Andy presents the situation to her and, despite her being out of the playoff race, she is more than happy to spend the money and keep Moreno away from the swooper! Andy still has to play this weekend, but at least his opponent has a weakness, and we've all learned a valuable lesson. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, especially one with FAAB money to blow.

Quick housekeeping notes before we get to the names. It's Jimmy V week, so it's a good time to remind everyone about my Twitter amnesty policy, which is always in effect. If I've blocked you on Twitter and you'd like to be unblocked, just make a donation (of any amount) to the Jimmy V fund and send a copy of the receipt and your Twitter name to MatthewBerryTMR@gmail.com. Be sure to put "TWITTER" in the subject header. If you want advice, Facebook and Twitter are still the best ways to get a hold of me; I don't respond to email from that email address.

Finally, I tend to get a lot of questions asking how I do in my own leagues. I tend to think most people care only about their own teams, but, for the record, I am in eight leagues and, if the playoffs started today, would be in the postseason in seven of them. Despite fourth-highest points for (and some injury issues), having the most points scored against us in my longtime dynasty keeper league will keep my old college roommate and me out of the playoffs in that league.

Since we talk about it a lot on the podcast and on "Fantasy Football Now," it's natural that the most questions I get are about the 16-team PPR "War Room" league with all my ESPN colleagues that I wrote about here awhile back. In that one, I am in a weird situation. I am second in points scored and have done a really good job in a very competitive league, but I am also second in points against. I play Mark Schlereth this week. If I win, I am the No. 2 seed and have a first-round bye. If I lose, I am out of the playoffs on a tiebreaker -- unless two other teams also lose. Right now, both of those teams are favored to win.

I am convinced I am going to lose, and it will drive me up a wall. Mark has some great matchups this week (Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Owen Daniels), and I'm really banged up (Percy Harvin, Danny Amendola, Matt Forte) plus my other guys (Vincent Jackson, Forte/Michael Bush again) have brutal matchups. It's seriously gonna drive me insane, and I am convinced I'm losing to Mark, who, last year, when I was also the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, knocked me out of the semis when Brent Celek went out and had the game of his life. Sigh.

Anyway, I wish you much luck this week. Be sure to watch "Fantasy Football Now" at 11 a.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2, or join us at Fantasy Surround and get the show on WatchESPN.com . You'll get the latest news and updates right up to the start of the games. Here we go.

[h=3]Quarterbacks I love in Week 13[/h]Matthew Stafford, Lions: He's back, baby. Ignore the awkward sidearm action and cringe-worthy mechanics and focus on the fact that the Lions are throwing it a ton and he's been great in a dome. Even before last week's 61-pass-attempt shootout with Houston, Stafford was averaging 42 pass attempts a game, most in the NFL. When playing in a dome, he has averaged 343 passing yards and two TDs a game. The Colts' banged-up secondary is allowing 289 passing yards on the road and I'm going against Calvin Johnson in a must-win game for me, so you just know he'll go off.

Cam Newton, Panthers: Ah, there's the Cam we remember. No, he's not playing the Eagles, but he might as well be. The Chiefs allow the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and have given up at least two touchdowns to them in five of their past six. The running is what keeps Cam's potential floor so high; at least 30 yards rushing in six of the past seven, not to mention three rushing touchdowns in the past four games, as well. The passing and the running will combine to make a tasty fantasy sandwich for your opponent to eat. After all, they don't call him Ham Newton for nothing. What? They don't? Well, they should. That name is awesome. What about Spam Newton? Anything? Hello?

Tony Romo, Cowboys: I'm a glass-half-full guy. So although you might be critical of how insanely wide open Brandon LaFell was Monday night, I prefer to look at the fact that Nnamdi Asomugha took time out on that play to use the sideline phone and get a last-minute deal on a Disney cruise for the team. Priorities, people.

Eli Manning, Giants: Here's the embarrassing part. The Redskins aren't phoning in the season. They're just that bad. I'm not convinced he's all the way back, but, against Washington's 31st-ranked pass defense, it'll sure seem that way. Back in the top 10 this week.

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers: As @ESPNstatsinfo recently tweeted, Kaepernick has six 30-plus yard pass plays this season on 74 attempts. By comparison, Alex Smith has six 30-plus yard plays on 217 attempts. He has 18 and 19 fantasy points in his two starts, and he had 16 against these same Rams after Alex Smith left the game midway through the second quarter of their Week 10 showdown. It's not just the throwing but the mobility. You know about the rushing ability, but did you know what he completes? He not only completes 61.1 percent of his passes outside the pocket but he also completes … wait for it … me.

If you're desperate: I have Brandon Weeden ranked 20th (lower than some of the guys in the hate section), so you'd have to be pretty desperate, but double-digit fantasy points for him in every road game this year, and the Raiders give up the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. … Ryan Fitzpatrick is very much feast or famine, but more CJ Spiller on the field can only help and the matchup with Jacksonville is certainly right.

[h=3]Quarterbacks I hate in Week 13[/h]
Andrew Luck, Colts: Back-to-back games of 13 fantasy points, you probably know about Luck's struggles on the road: just four touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. That's the most interceptions on the road by any player in the NFL. He has bailed you out with the rushing TDs in some of those games, but you hate to count on that. And the Lions, believe it or not, are playing pretty decent pass defense these days. Sitting 10th in the NFL, they've allowed more than 250 yards passing just once in the past six weeks, and Matt Schaub needed five quarters to get there. Not a top-10 play for me this week.

Josh Freeman, Buccaneers: Denver has a top-10 pass defense and scoring defense, and it's easy to see why. The Broncos have allowed a league low eight, count 'em, eight, completions on throws more than 20 yards downfield this season despite facing the eighth-most attempts. They also have allowed the lowest completion percentage (17.8) on throws more than 20 yards downfield, and Josh's main target, Vincent Jackson, traditionally has struggled versus Denver (more on that later). Denver is also pretty strong against the run, so I don't see play-action being as effective here with Doug Martin. Freeman will be all right, but, again, not a top-12 play.

Chad Henne, Jaguars: Think he'll be OK, but before you get crazy, consider the Bills have been playing better recently … over the past two weeks, the Buffalo defense has allowed a 52.3 completion percentage (third best in the league), and its minus-1 TD-Int differential is tied for fourth in the NFL in that span.

Nick Foles, Eagles: "Welcome to the Disney Fantasy Cruise ship! We have some celebrities on board with us today. Everyone give a big welcome to the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, who are taking a much-needed vacation after the seas- (Hand over mike) What? It is? But then how are they… Ohhhhh. (Hand back off mike). Folks, a reminder, dinner is served at 6:30 and 8:30. Check your dining card!"

[h=3]Running backs I love in Week 13

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: What are they gonna do? Let Brady Quinn throw it? Otherwise known as "Did you see what Bryce Brown did to this defense last week?"

C.J. Spiller, Bills: I'm the only guy who has him in the top five, but, with Chan Gailey's announcement at his news conference that Spiller will get the ball even more, I'm on board in a big way. Dude is averaging -- as in, not his highest, mind you, but is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Want another mind-blowing stat? Only Adrian Peterson averages more yards after contact than Spiller. You heard me. He's a tough tackle, too. Great running back with good matchups (Jags 29th versus the run)? Hello, sailor.

Bryce Brown, Eagles: The only guy not on vacation (rookie hazing, perhaps?); last week was not a fluke. Wrote about him in this column last week, and obviously I stand by what I said then: I really like his skill set. This is a guy who is not only solid between the tackles but ran a 4.3 40. He's the best thing they have going on offense, and I can't see LeSean McCoy playing in this game. Dallas has allowed seven touchdowns and 121 total yards a game to opposing running backs the past seven weeks. Brown is a solid second running back this week.

Adrian Peterson, Vikings: I include him here because I just love these stats: His 2.8 yards after contact per rush is the same as Rashad Jennings' total yards per rush, and his 595 yards after contact would rank 21st in the league yardage, ahead of players such as Ryan Mathews, Darren McFadden and Michael Turner.

Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers: Mike Tomlin finally came out and declared what fantasy owners have known for a long time: Pittsburgh's best running back is Jonathan Dwyer. Also that the Steelers would rather be punting on first down and getting their defense back on the field than having Charlie Batch throw it. Anyway, Dwyer is the guy, and I think he'll be decent here in a high-end flex sort of way. Against the Ravens in Week 11, Dwyer averaged 4.6 yards per carry and had 81 total yards on 15 touches. He should get even more work than that, and the Ravens give up 128.5 rush yards per game, seventh-most in NFL.

If you're desperate: Looking as if Darren McFadden is back, but I can't imagine Marcel Reece going back to obscurity. Averaging an insane 7.6 yards per touch (highest in the NFL), Reece is the answer to a great bar bet: Name the only four running backs with at least 40 rushes and 40 catches this year. Ray Rice, Trent Richardson, LeSean McCoy and, you guessed it, Marcel Reece. … Speaking of flex plays, Jacquizz Rodgers is coming off a 12-touch game, and I could see him in on a lot of snaps in a high-scoring, pass-happy game. … With Mikel Leshoure missing practice Wednesday with an ankle injury, I like Joique Bell against Indy's 20th-ranked run defense if Leshoure is out. … It also looks as though Matt Forte will play but maybe Michael Bush will get more work than normal in this game, and it's not as bad a matchup as you might think. Over the past six weeks, the Seahawks have allowed 544 yards inside the tackles, the third-highest total in the league, and 92 of Michael Bush's 106 rushes this year have come inside the tackles. Check on Forte's status, but if he's limited or out, Bush could be a decent flex.

[/h][h=3]Running backs I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Ryan Mathews, Chargers: Pick a stat, any stat. Hasn't had 100-yard rushing game since Week 14 of 2011! Hasn't had a rushing touchdown since Week 5. In fact, as our player card notes, over the past nine weeks, he has more fumbles than rushing touchdowns. The offensive line is banged-up, and, since their bye four weeks ago, the Bengals have allowed just one touchdown by an opposing running back.

Rashad Jennings, Jaguars: Mom always said if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. So, um … he's currently a starting running back in the NFL. There. That's the nicest thing I can say. Now, I should stop here, but Mom never had a column to fill. I get that it's a good matchup and, sure, he could score here, but Jennings has gotten plenty of chances this year, averaging just 2.7 yards per carry. It's Week 13. Unless you're truly desperate, do you really want your postseason chances hinging on Rashad Jennings?

Michael Turner, Falcons: He has scored in three of the past four weeks. The one game he didn't? Against the Saints. Jacquizz Rodgers was on the field for more snaps than he was last week, and you know he's slow, right? But get this: Despite being listed as 51 pounds heavier, Michael Turner has averaged fewer yards per rush after contact (1.6) than Jacquizz Rodgers (2.1) this season. Ugh. Look, it all boils down to whether you think he'll score. I just hate touchdown-dependent running backs on passing offenses, but, hey, I've been mostly wrong on him all year, so if you have to start him, console yourself with that.

Fred Jackson, Bills: See Spiller, C.J. Jackson is a flex play at best this week with a healthy Spiller getting the majority of touches.

DeAngelo Williams, Panthers: See Jennings, Rashad. It's a good matchup and we expect Jonathan Stewart to be out, but he still has Lamb (no?) Newton and Mike Tolbert to compete with at the goal line, and same theory as with Jennings. If I'm going down this week, it's not gonna be with DeAngelo "3.2 yards per carry" Williams.

[/h][h=3]Wide receivers I love in Week 13

Randall Cobb, Packers: Not worried about Greg Jennings being back. In addition to everything else, Cobb is now the player with the most end zone targets in the NFL.

Wes Welker, Patriots: Seems to always crush against Miami; the Dolphins send at least five rushers on 40.9 percent of dropbacks, which is the second-highest total in the league. Wes Welker leads the Patriots with 29 targets and 19 receptions when defenses send added pressure.

Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, Cowboys: "Is this where we check in for snorkeling? It's A-S-O-M-U-G-H-A. Asomugha." "Oh, yes sir, here you are. The boat leaves in 10 minutes. Here's your mask and flippers."

Brian Hartline, Dolphins: No doubt, a risk/reward guy this week, so understand you are playing with fire, but here's why I like him: Even with Aqib Talib in the past two games, the Patriots have allowed four completions deeper than 20 yards downfield (tied for third-most). And, for the year, they've allowed 25 receptions on throws that distance, which is six more than any other team in the NFL. This just in: You can throw deep on the Pats. Hartline not only is their deep threat but has at least five targets in 10 of 11 games this season, more than any other Dolphin.

Cecil Shorts, Jaguars: Keep mentioning him, he keeps producing. Here's another good bar bet: The only wide receivers with more 30-plus yard plays than Cecil Shorts this season are … Demaryius Thomas and A.J. Green. The Bills have given up nine touchdowns on throws of that distance this season, which is tied for third-most in the league. (by the way, if you took the 11 quarters Chad Henne and Justin Blackmon have played together and extrapolated it over 16 games, Blackmon would have 122 catches, 2,661 yards and 17 touchdowns. Whoa: Crazy Crazy, indeed.

Brandon Stokley, Broncos: For those in deeper leagues, Stokley is an interesting play here. Two scores in his past three, and four in his past seven, and get this: The Bucs allow an NFL-worst 10.1 yards per attempt to slot receivers, and their opponents 75.5 completion percentage to slot wide receivers is also highest in the league.

If you're desperate: It's also definite risk/reward territory, but the thing I like about Pierre Garcon is he just needs one play to make it a big day. And the Redskins certainly are gonna try to get him that shot. … Because of the way we publish only the top-50 consensus receivers, it doesn't show up, but I ranked Mohamed Sanu in my own top 50, and, although four TDs in three games is unlikely to continue, it's a great matchup with San Diego and the Chargers will be very worried about A.J. Green. … I also ranked Davone Bess, who has at least 50 yards in four straight games and the Patriots don't struggle with just the deep ball, but also with the slot receivers. Patriots have allowed the second-most catches and yards to opposing slot receivers. … Speaking of the Pats, Julian Edelman has three touchdowns in the four games he has played when either Rob Gronkowski or Aaron Hernandez is out.

[/h][h=3]Wide receivers I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers: Man, I hope I am wrong on this one. I have him going in a very important matchup and need a big game. Sadly, I don't think I am going to get it. As a member of the Chargers, he has played against the Broncos 11 times, and Champ Bailey was active in 10 of those games. In the 10 games Champ played, Jackson has caught at least five passes only once, has never reached 100 receiving yards and has just three touchdowns.
Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs: Brady. Quinn. Do I need to say more? Fine. Averaging 54.5 receiving yards per game at home, he hasn't scored since Week 4 and the Panthers allow the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts.

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Sorry, Larry, it's not you, it's Lindley.

Mike Wallace, Steelers: If Ben Roethlisberger does not start, no Steeler should, except maybe Dwyer and the defense. If Ben does give it a go, Wallace becomes a flex play, but with single-digit fantasy points in five of his past six, not one I have a ton of confidence in.

[/h][h=3]Tight ends I love in Week 13

Aaron Hernandez, Patriots: Fair warning. I listed him here last week and he was, like, the one Patriot who did nothing (although he did have a TD called back and a very questionable offensive pass interference call).

Jason Witten, Cowboys: "I'm on the Lido deck playing shuffleboard. Why? Where you at?"

Brandon Pettigrew, Lions: Coming off an 8-for-74-yard game, I'm hoping this is a start of his getting more involved in the offense. You know I love Stafford this week, and the Colts have allowed four TDs by opposing tight ends in the past four games. Not a great option, but, as a low-end starter, you could do worse, especially in PPR leagues.

Martellus Bennett, Giants: Five for 79 yards the last time they played, and Washington gives up the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. And, against Washington's nonexistent pass rush, it's not as if he'll need to stay in and block or anything.

If you're desperate: The Titans keep saying they want to get Jared Cook more involved and they have a new offensive coordinator this week, so maybe they'll make good on the promise. Texans are banged-up on defense and have given up 16 catches for 171 yards and two TDs to opposing tight ends the past two games. … Dallas Clark continues his return to fantasy relevance with 50 yards and/or a TD in three straight games. No team allows more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than the Broncos, and you know I think Champ will be all over Vincent Jackson. If I wanted to go super cheap in a daily salary-cap league, he'd be a guy I'd take a strong look at. … If Kenny Phillips misses this game for the Giants, Logan Paulsen could have some success against New York. He had 76 yards against them the last time they played (and Phillips was out).

[/h][h=3]Tight ends I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Heath Miller, Steelers: After a hot start, he has struggled to find the end zone; no touchdowns in the past four weeks. Not sure whether Ben is playing in this game, and, even if he does, will he be 100 percent? Ravens have allowed just one TD to an opposing tight end all year.

Antonio Gates, Chargers: How can you trust him at this point? It's not a horrible matchup, but, seriously, how can you trust him? Maybe he scores, maybe he has a one-point game the way he has in three of the past five and four of the past six.

Jermichael Finley, Packers: He got his shot. Now it's back to the hate list. You know, when your quarterback has to keep telling people there's no issue between you and him, there's probably an issue between the two of you.

[/h][h=3]Defenses I love in Week 13

New York Jets D/ST: Available in 43 percent of leagues, the Jets were actually a pretty solid fantasy defense for a while there, with three double-digit games in the five games before the New England debacle. Then they got destroyed. I believe that, after getting humiliated on a national stage, they'll come out strong at home, especially given that they get the Cardinals and Ryan Lindley. Lindley has five turnovers in the past two games, three of which have been returned for touchdowns. It's a bad offensive line in Arizona, and the Cardinals allow the second-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.

Arizona Cardinals D/ST: Of course, it's not as though facing Mark Sanchez is super intimidating, either.

Cleveland Browns D/ST: Nine or more points in three of the past four, I don't think they'll get eight turnovers again, but Carson Palmer has been known to throw a pick or two.

Dallas Cowboys D/ST: "Ship Hop Karaoke would like to welcome Nick Foles to the stage. Hi, Nick! What are you singing for us tonight?"

If you're desperate: Any time you get a defense going against Rivers and what they pretend is an offensive line in San Diego, good things tend to happen. This week, it's the Cincinnati Bengals' turn. … As I mentioned earlier, the Buffalo Bills have been playing decent defense the past two weeks and, despite the recent success, Chad Henne is still Chad Henne.

[/h][h=3]Defenses I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Green Bay Packers D/ST: Just too banged-up, and, with Adrian Peterson carrying the load, I don't see lots of opportunities for turnovers or even sacks.

St. Louis Rams D/ST: They were great last week and held their own the first time they played the Niners, but Kaepernick should have a much easier time of it this go-round, and this time he gets to start the game.

[/h]

HacheMan · Dec 2, 2012

Week 13 desperation plays

By Christopher Harris | ESPN.com

This week on the Fantasy Underground podcast (also available on iTunes), Field Yates and I talked about Colin Kaepernick, Knowshon Moreno, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, David Wilson, Jacquizz Rodgers and T.Y. Hilton. I also revealed my five favorite non-obvious 2012 rookies who I think will make a jump in 2013. Here are 10 other topics:

Five In Depth

1. All I Need Is a Miracle, QB Division. Week 13 is the final regular-season fantasy game before the playoffs begin in many leagues (including ESPN standard leagues). If you're sitting atop your league's standings, this fact makes you chortle. But if you're hanging on by a thread and need a win to make your playoffs -- potentially a win against a superior-on-paper opponent -- it might be time for a Hail Mary. Maybe you've lost a couple of superstars to injury, or maybe you're just held hostage by big names who've produced small results. Regardless, if this week means everything to you, it may be time to pull out all the stops. Here, then, are a few QBs with unheralded upside for Week 13, guys on whom you could roll the dice and try to hit a high-points home run:

Chad Henne, Jacksonville Jaguars (owned in 6.6 percent of ESPN.com leagues). Do I suddenly buy that the Henne with the shaky pocket presence and the legendary red zone problems in Miami has become a really good player? No. And in fact, looking at the Week 12 tape, I saw the Tennessee Titans pressure Henne mercilessly, which doesn't bode well against a Buffalo Bills defense that's shown improvement the past couple weeks. But six TDs and one INT over the past two games is pretty good. I think the likeliest result of the Jags' trip to cold-weather Buffalo is a slam back down to earth for Henne. But I've watched him go 15-for-26 on passes that traveled more than 10 yards in the air these past two games, an aggressiveness that's led to big plays. It could happen again.

Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (6.8 percent). Chris Palmer got axed as Tennessee's offensive coordinator, and while it's tough to change a playbook in one week, the consensus among the team's beat reporters is that new man Dowell Loggains offers more passing-game creativity. Frankly, I thought Locker played poorly versus the Jags last week, though his numbers looked OK; he was inaccurate and left a couple of second-half TD passes on the table, plus he threw one directly to defender Dwight Lowery on a potential game-winning drive. However, I'm steadfast in admiring the upside of his weapons, plus the Houston Texans have been eviscerated by Henne and Matthew Stafford the past two games. Top Texans corner Johnathan Joseph is a game-time decision with his bad hammy, and his absence has been palpable.

2. All I Need Is a Miracle, RB Division. You should certainly inquire about the availability of Bryce Brown, Knowshon Moreno, Michael Bush and Beanie Wells, but they don't exactly fit the criteria of Hail Mary. These guys do:

Rashad Jennings, Jaguars (47.1 percent). We saw the very best Jennings has to offer on his first official carry of the Titans game Sunday: He cut left, was met by Colin McCarthy and just flattened the linebacker, rumbling over him and dragging three Tennessee defenders for nine yards. And much later, with Jacksonville up two points and trying to nurse a lead, he destroyed Michael Griffin on back-to-back bursts up the middle. Yes, there were a bunch of stuffs in there, too, but not many where I thought, "Boy, that was the RB's fault." Do I think Jennings will definitely improve on his 2.8-yards-per-carry average Sunday against the Bills? I'm not there yet. But he should get 20-plus touches, and I liked how north-south he was in Week 12. There's real upside (and real downside) here.

Jonathan Dwyer, Pittsburgh Steelers (36.3 percent). If Charlie Batch plays, the entire Steelers offense is pretty much hands-off. But if Ben Roethlisberger goes, I can envision Dwyer blowing up. Since training camp, I've proclaimed Dwyer my favorite Pittsburgh RB, ahead of Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman, and indeed he's had some very high moments. Last week against the Cleveland Browns wasn't one of them. He did do his Junior Jerome Bettis routine on four straight first-quarter touches for 18 yards, but he lost a fairly inexcusable second-quarter fumble after an 8-yard gain, and after that he had one carry for minus-2 yards. Still, Mike Tomlin proclaimed him the starter versus the Baltimore Ravens this week and says he wants to get rid of his backfield committee.

David Wilson, New York Giants (40.3 percent). No, I don't think he immediately takes over Andre Brown's goal-line work. But the fact that he'll probably approach 10 touches from scrimmage even with Ahmad Bradshaw healthy makes Wilson an intriguing upside play. His likeliest stat line for Week 13 is something like eight touches for 17 yards. But Wilson's speed makes him a home run hitter of the highest order, and all it takes is one. It wouldn't shock me if the highlight play of Monday night's game is an 87-yard David Wilson TD run. (Remember, we talked about Wilson on this week's Fantasy Underground podcast.)

Brandon Jacobs, San Francisco 49ers (5.9 percent). OK, this is probably dumb. But hear me out. Frank Gore is the man, and the St. Louis Rams represent a nice matchup for him; according to my metrics, they've tacked on 6.3 fantasy points to the average of opposing RBs over the past five weeks. But with Kendall Hunter done for the year with a torn Achilles, someone is going to spell Gore. Jacobs, LaMichael James and Anthony Dixon are all possibilities, and it should go without saying that Jacobs is the least explosive of these three players. However, he's also the deadliest from the 1-yard line. It's pure speculation, but if you want to remove some of Gore's workload, maybe you change the time you take him out to goal-to-go scenarios? And let Jacobs take the big hits?

3. All I Need Is a Miracle, WR Division. Again, if you've got a great team and you're a favorite in this regular-season fantasy finale, of course you don't need to mess with this high-upside flotsam. But if you're a big-time 'dog and need the stars to align right, take a look at these pass-catchers:

Ryan Broyles, Detroit Lions (3.2 percent). Versus the Texans on Thanksgiving, the Lions' default formation had Calvin Johnson and Mike Thomas as the outside receivers and Broyles running out of the slot. (In the occasional two-WR set, Broyles sometimes moved outside.) With Matthew Stafford chucking it 61 times, there was enough work for everyone, but Broyles was particularly involved right off the jump and wound up with six grabs on 12 targets. Titus Young is no lock to even suit up because of his knuckleheadedness, and Broyles is a quick player and a fine route-runner.

T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (28.2 percent). Yes, we also talked at length about Hilton in this week's podcast. Suffice it to say: He's fast. DeSean Jackson is not an untoward comparison. But Reggie Wayne is an every-week lock for double-digit targets and Donnie Avery out-targeted Hilton 8-3 in Week 12, so Hilton is a mega-boom-or-bust player. But all it takes is one deep shot and he could win you your week.

Santana Moss, Washington Redskins (33.1 percent). I truly hate chasing touchdowns, and that's what you'd be doing with Moss. He doesn't even have five catches in a single game this year and has only been targeted more than five times once. But somehow he's got seven TDs. They've come on ridiculously blown coverages, and they've come on deep balls Robert Griffin III (aka Bobby Three-Sticks) never should've thrown. But they've come. And sometimes it doesn't pay to bet into a winning streak.

Jarius Wright, Minnesota Vikings (0.3 percent). Wright would only be a high-upside play in a PPR league, and only if Percy Harvin can't go because of his injured ankle. In Week 12, in Harvin's absence, Jerome Simpson was a drop machine, so Wright took over a large share of slot duties and also made a couple of short catches playing outside the numbers. He's a pale imitation of Harvin, but at least he's in the neighborhood, and with a team-high 10 targets Sunday, Christian Ponder trusts him.

4. The Real Reason for Matthew Stafford's Improved Play? In football circles, it became an accepted diagnosis that the reason Stafford had a poor first five games was that his "mechanics were messed up." That kind of "analysis" is usually a red flag for me, as in: We don't really know what's wrong, so we're going to slap some vague notion of what we think a QB is supposed to look like after the fact, because the results don't look very good. It reminds me of what all the sage observers were saying about Peyton Manning after his poor first half against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. Remember that? How Manning's arm strength was gone, because his deep ball was wobbling? Ignoring the fact that his deep ball has always wobbled some?

In my opinion, this notion that Stafford's "mechanics were messed up" is wrong. If you watched the Lions-Texans game on Thanksgiving, you heard Phil Simms marveling several times at the crazy positions that Stafford gets himself in as he throws: Fall-aways and stumble-sideways and across-his-body. And lo and behold, Stafford produced 441 yards passing, two TDs and zero INTs, good for 25 standard-league fantasy points. His mechanics were no different than they always are; Stafford's huge arm and solid athleticism allow him to make throws that would be ill-advised for most other NFL QBs.

I'd argue what's improved most in that Lions offense has little to do with Stafford himself, but rather with his receiving corps. This, too, may be painting with too broad a brush, but let's at least consider the possibility that drops -- and especially ill-timed drops on catchable passes -- were part of Stafford's early-season struggles. True, no QB has thrown it as much as Stafford this year (his 488 attempts put him on pace for 709, which would break Drew Bledsoe's 1994 all-time NFL record), so he's going to have more drops than your average signal-caller. But according to ProFootballFocus.com, Stafford does have the most passes dropped this year, 37, and has given up a disproportionately large amount of "yardage in the air" on those dropped passes:

Quarterback	Yards Lost to Drops /Attempts
Jay Cutler	0.97
Matthew Stafford	0.88
Peyton Manning	0.86
Robert Griffin III	0.84
Andrew Luck	0.84
(source: ProFootballFocus.com)

Plus Stafford's drops have come more downfield than nearly any QB in the league:

Quarterback	Yards Lost to Drops / Drops
Philip Rivers	12.7
Matthew Stafford	11.5
Jay Cutler	11.5
Andrew Luck	11.5
Peyton Manning	10.6
(source: ProFootballFocus.com)

Most important, I think, is that in those first six games during which Stafford's results weren't great, there were four contests where Detroit's receivers dropped at least four passes (and one where they dropped an incredible seven); since then, that's only happened twice. Stafford basically has one clunker of a performance in his past five games (Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers), and because the Lions throw it so much, his good games tend to be mighty good. He's a no-doubt fantasy starter for the rest of the year.

5. Reasons to Be Encouraged by Ryan Tannehill. I set out to watch film of the Miami Dolphins' game against the Seattle Seahawks, because I wanted to see how Reggie Bush looked, and he did look better. It was an encouraging outing, though Daniel Thomas also played quite well and is still the goal-line vulture in this 60-40 time-share. But the thing that stuck out most was Tannehill. His numbers continue to underwhelm; even in a win Sunday he was 18-of-26 for 253 yards, one TD and one INT. But unlike bonus babies Andrew Luck and RG3, we always knew that the inexperienced Tannehill -- who started only 19 collegiate games at QB -- would have to walk before he could run. And walk he did. Tannehill has sort of faded in my consciousness since he got hurt early in Week 8; since then, he'd thrown two TDs and five picks. But against a good Seattle defense, he played well.

His first pass, to Anthony Fasano, was dropped, and Tannehill did throw a head-clutching interception to Bobby Wagner in the first quarter in his own territory. But after that he was borderline perfect. He took downfield shots showing off a big arm; he was on time over the middle of the field on deep looks to Davone Bess and Charles Clay; the Dolphins rolled him out to stay away from the Seahawks' pass rush; and when they really needed it down 14-7 and 21-14, he led them on methodical drives punctuated by a number of really good, pro-level throws to tie the score. I grant you that on the first of these drives, he had a terrible end zone interception nullified by a roughing-the-passer penalty that didn't exactly rank among the worst offenses a defender (in this case Earl Thomas) has ever committed. But with the score tied 21-21, Tannehill did it again, from his own 10-yard-line with 1:30 left in the game: Two impressive throws to Bess, one to Clay, a 15-yard scramble, and boom, a field goal wins it at the buzzer. (One really does wonder how great a possession receiver Bess could be if anyone could get open on the outside, because he took over this game in the fourth quarter.)

Am I excited about Tannehill for the rest of this season? No, it's just too tough to see a path to fantasy glory when this is your receiving corps. The New England Patriots will no doubt try to confuse the rookie Sunday, though they also play a ton of zone to protect their own weaknesses, so who knows? And Joe Philbin's and Mike Sherman's offense does feature a lot of 7-yard outs, the kind of pass where the risk (pick-six) often exceeds the reward (7-yard gain). Nevertheless, speaking as someone who was very skeptical when the Dolphins spent the No. 8 pick in April's draft on this kid, I feel chastened. With a supporting cast of real outside WRs and perhaps a legit dynamic TE, I can see what Miami saw, and fantasy owners may wind up taking notice in deeper leagues as soon as 2013.

Five In Brief

6. A.J. Green Defies Logic. Isn't it funny how with some WRs -- I'm looking your way, Steve Smith -- the excuse we use to explain poor production is that he's the only above-average receiver on his team, so he draws tons of safety help and often can't get untracked as a result. (In Smith's case, that's led to a pedestrian 1,120-yard pace and exactly one TD.) To understand just how much of a "crutch argument" that is, take a look at A.J. Green. Sure, Mohamed Sanu has reared his head as a red zone weapon, but he's got 16 catches all year. Heck, Andrew Hawkins is the second-most-proficient WR on the Cincinnati Bengals roster, and he's got a mere 34 grabs and hasn't played the past two weeks. I'll agree that the Bengals have interesting young potential opposite Green, but as far as anyone to distract defenses? Nope, not yet. And yet there Green is, getting between nine and 13 targets every week, already having scored double-digit TDs and racking up over 1,000 yards receiving (he's tops among WRs in TDs and fourth in yards). Clearly he's not falling prey to this crutch argument. How? Well, Andy Dalton is committed to getting Green the ball in all kinds of circumstances. Last week against the Oakland Raiders, Green caught a deep shot in the middle of the defensive zone, took two reverses for good yardage, caught a slant and bulled for 19 yards, and then caught a fourth-quarter play-action bomb that Dalton had no business throwing with two defenders draped all over Green, but which went for 48 yards anyway. Certainly at 6-foot-4 and capable of running a 4.5 40, Green is a different kind of cat from most wideouts; his physical prowess can make him "open" even when he's not open, something Smith, for example, doesn't have. But the creativity in the Cincy offense is also impressive. Just remember: The next time someone tells you the reason a WR struggles because there are no other good WRs on his team, tell 'em about A.J. Green.

7. I'm Frightened of Mikel Leshoure. Leshoure has five TDs in his past four games, but I don't rate him any better than a flex play this week, while the other ESPN.com rankers put him 16th or higher among RBs. What gives? Part of my concern about Leshoure was alleviated Thursday when he was able to practice on his injured ankle, the ankle that reportedly kept him out of Thanksgiving's overtime period. But just because he's practicing doesn't mean that all the injury risk has vanished; the Lions are notorious for not providing much injury info. But I'm also concerned about this matchup. You might remember the Indianapolis Colts allowed Shonn Greene to go crazy on them back in Week 6, and you might therefore imagine that this is a perfect storm for Leshoure to go off. And maybe it is. But after watching Colts tape over the past month, I'm dubious. This group up front has played better. Cory Redding, Fili Moala and Antonio Johnson haven't been spectacular, but the front three in a 3-4 defense often isn't. They just haven't gotten pushed around as much. In the Bills game last week, Buffalo didn't regularly move the line, and that set up the linebackers for big days: Jerrell Freeman ("Baby Ray" to his teammates, for Ray Lewis) had 13 tackles. Now Moala is out for the year with a torn ACL, so maybe the dam busts again, but add into this equation Stafford's crazy number of passes (again, he's on pace to set a single-season record) and the fact that the Lions are 26th in rush attempts this year, and you can see why I'm hesitant to recommend Leshoure.

8. The Curious Cases of Jeremy Maclin and Dwayne Bowe. It's part of being an analyst. Sometimes similar stimuli don't yield the same response. Maclin and Bowe both have dreadful offenses and quarterbacks who shouldn't be starting for an NFL team (Nick Foles and Brady Quinn, respectively). Yet I'm more sympathetic to the notion of Maclin as a desperation starter than I am Bowe, despite the fact that if I were judging them purely on talent, I might actually put Bowe in the lead. He's certainly had the better NFL career to this point. For me, this comes down to the fact that Bowe's hostage-taker (Quinn) has a terribly weak arm and a lugubrious throwing motion, to the point where I can't imagine him completing a pass past 20 yards down the field unless it's a jump ball. Against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, I counted Quinn 0-for-5 (with a Hail Mary interception) on such throws. At least I know Foles has a major league wing, even if Andy Reid's offense mostly throws a maddening array of short stuff. DeSean Jackson's season-ending injury is to Maclin's benefit; he drew a long pass interference call on a bomb attempt, plus he had a couple of red zone opportunities against the Carolina Panthers. Last time out against the Dallas Cowboys (albeit with Michael Vick under center), Maclin produced eight grabs for 93 yards and a score. He's No. 29 in my WR ranks this week; Bowe is No. 41.

9. Hold Your Horses on Shane Vereen. The other ESPN rankers made Vereen a deep-league flex, based on the fact that he's hit at least nine fantasy points in three of his past four games. I think Vereen is an interesting player, and someone who may torment Stevan Ridley's owners next year. But I'm not there yet on starting Vereen in any-sized league right now, at least not this week. The Dolphins are tough against the run; except for a big effort by Chris Johnson in Week 10, they've shaved, by my metrics, about three fantasy points per game off opposing RB averages since their bye. And Vereen's workload has only started to look respectable in the box score over the past couple of weeks, where he's gotten 12 touches in each game. But two weeks ago against the Colts, Vereen had three touches while the game was competitive, and on Thanksgiving against the New York Jets he had five. Hey, I loved him taking that little wheel route in the second quarter for an 83-yard score, but it was an utterly blown coverage. This is fool's-gold production. It's true that Vereen has gotten a couple of TDs from an opponent's 1, and it's Bill Belechick, so you never rule out RB roulette. But Ridley has been a true workhorse, with 18.7 carries per game (he's currently seventh in totes in the entire NFL). I'm not of the opinion that there's room for another fantasy-relevant RB here, no matter your league size. Vereen is pure handcuff material.

10. Dustin Keller for the Mayor of Sleeper-Town? I didn't put Keller inside my top 10 TEs for this week, but he's not far off (No. 12), while none of my ESPN compadres had him higher than 17th. Perhaps I can be accused of being fooled by a meaningless 1-yard score on Thanksgiving when the Jets were trailing 49-12, and honestly, having to defend anyone even remotely associated with Mark Sanchez makes me feel dirty. But Keller gets looks in the middle of the field, especially in the Jets' two-minute offense. I won't use last week as an example, as Keller's first target came with the score 35-0. But in Week 10 versus the Seahawks, he was an essential element in a second-half shotgun spread attack, and he averaged seven catches for 80 yards in Weeks 7 and 8. The larger point here might be about what an abyss the TE position has been this year, where you simply can't count on a single player at this position from week to week. But knowing what I know about Sanchez and his check-down tendencies, and the fact that Keller is a pretty difficult guy to cover in the middle, and the fact that he's ninth among TEs in targets-per-game since Week 7? He's more desirable to me in Week 13 than such usual suspects as Martellus Bennett and Jermichael Finley.

HacheMan · Dec 2, 2012

Drop 'em like they're hot

By Matthew Berry

Congratulations!

Seriously, if you have a reason to read this column in Week 13, your season has gone better than it's gone worse, you're still alive, and, in a tough, injury-filled season, that's an impressive accomplishment. So, well done, Internet friend!

My philosophy in general is to be risk-averse unless there is massive upside that makes the risk worth it, but, in Week 13 especially, I like to go safe and conservative unless I'm in a situation in which, for whatever reason, I need to swing for the fences. So today's column is with that in mind.

I'm actually putting my warning up top this week in the desperate hope that you'll use this column correctly. Please read my ranks if you are wondering whom to start between two players. Yes, I have Andrew Luck on the "hate" list. But I'm still playing him over, say Joe Flacco. Every week, I get the "I have so-and-so and so-and-so, but you have (one of them) on your hate list, what should I do?" What you should do, my friend, is check my rankings. Or, better yet, go with your own gut. You know your team and rules better than anyone, it's do-or-die time, you're the only one who has to live with what happens. Make a call you believe in, not just what I or anyone else thinks. Remember that.

I will say that, in many cases, your season is now one game long. If there is someone on your waiver wire who can help you, go out and get him. And with that in mind, here's a list of players I would have no issue dropping if you aren't planning to start them. I'm not saying you must drop them, but merely that, if you are not planning to start them, there's no need to have them on your team if there's a free-agent defense or a one-week running back who can help you win now.

Here's a list of players owned in more than 50 percent of ESPN.com leagues, by position, who don't need to be carried on your bench if there are more helpful guys out there who can help you right now, or handcuffs to your starters who would become more valuable than your current player should an injury befall him.

Quarterbacks: Michael Vick, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, Joe Flacco.

Running backs: Vick Ballard, Rashard Mendenhall, Willis McGahee (73 percent owned still!), Isaac Redman, Donald Brown, Felix Jones, Any Saints running back not named Darren Sproles, Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, Peyton Hillis.

Wide receivers: DeSean Jackson, Brandon Lloyd (sigh -- officially my worst call of the year), Antonio Brown, Anquan Boldin, Robert Meachem, Nate Washington, Jeremy Maclin, Titus Young, Andre Roberts, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Mario Manningham.

Tight end: I almost never carry more than one tight end. Unless you have a really good guy who is injury-prone (Aaron Hernandez) who can sometimes be a late scratch, I would keep only the guy you're starting on your roster.

Again, if you need to win to get in, your season is one game. Get in and worry about next week next week. Maximize your roster slots. Be smart and safe where you can. And I have no issue with picking up a player who has no use to you but would help your opponent. Often, a good offense is just a good defense and, hey, that guy had a shot at the free agent, as well. You snooze, you lose. This is do-or-die time. As long as it is within the rules, you do what you gotta do. Take, for example, the case of Andy. He's been running a league with high school friends since 1997. It's a coed league with three women and nine guys, and it includes one married couple. Well, it did.

Just before the season started, the league learned that the couple were divorcing. But it was an amicable divorce, and both said they would like to continue to be in the league and neither had an issue with the other staying in. So the season starts and, in what might be a fantasy football league first, "Another female owner in the league, who is friends with the wife, swooped in and started dating the husband before the divorce papers were even signed!" Andy told me.

The drama doesn't stop there, Andy explained. "She has never said anything about it to the wife, her now former friend, of course, and the wife had to find out about the relationship via Facebook."

So, here we are in Week 13 and Andy needs to win to make the playoffs. And the team he is facing? The "swooper." The swooper has the highest-scoring team in the league, so Andy is already an underdog, but there is a glimmer of hope in this 12-team league. The swooper just lost Willis McGahee, and, like most of us, had backed him up with Ronnie Hillman. Which means Knowshon Moreno is still out on the wire. The swooper has $34 left in FAAB money, and Andy has only $28 left.

Down but not out, Andy realizes he has to leave it all out on the virtual field. What he does next is as good an example of an "Oh yeah? This isn't over until I say it's over!" move in fantasy football as I've ever seen. Because, you see, the ex-wife has $80 left in FAAB.

Andy presents the situation to her and, despite her being out of the playoff race, she is more than happy to spend the money and keep Moreno away from the swooper! Andy still has to play this weekend, but at least his opponent has a weakness, and we've all learned a valuable lesson. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, especially one with FAAB money to blow.

Quick housekeeping notes before we get to the names. It's Jimmy V week, so it's a good time to remind everyone about my Twitter amnesty policy, which is always in effect. If I've blocked you on Twitter and you'd like to be unblocked, just make a donation (of any amount) to the Jimmy V fund and send a copy of the receipt and your Twitter name to MatthewBerryTMR@gmail.com. Be sure to put "TWITTER" in the subject header. If you want advice, Facebook and Twitter are still the best ways to get a hold of me; I don't respond to email from that email address.

Finally, I tend to get a lot of questions asking how I do in my own leagues. I tend to think most people care only about their own teams, but, for the record, I am in eight leagues and, if the playoffs started today, would be in the postseason in seven of them. Despite fourth-highest points for (and some injury issues), having the most points scored against us in my longtime dynasty keeper league will keep my old college roommate and me out of the playoffs in that league.

Since we talk about it a lot on the podcast and on "Fantasy Football Now," it's natural that the most questions I get are about the 16-team PPR "War Room" league with all my ESPN colleagues that I wrote about here awhile back. In that one, I am in a weird situation. I am second in points scored and have done a really good job in a very competitive league, but I am also second in points against. I play Mark Schlereth this week. If I win, I am the No. 2 seed and have a first-round bye. If I lose, I am out of the playoffs on a tiebreaker -- unless two other teams also lose. Right now, both of those teams are favored to win.

I am convinced I am going to lose, and it will drive me up a wall. Mark has some great matchups this week (Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Owen Daniels), and I'm really banged up (Percy Harvin, Danny Amendola, Matt Forte) plus my other guys (Vincent Jackson, Forte/Michael Bush again) have brutal matchups. It's seriously gonna drive me insane, and I am convinced I'm losing to Mark, who, last year, when I was also the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, knocked me out of the semis when Brent Celek went out and had the game of his life. Sigh.

Anyway, I wish you much luck this week. Be sure to watch "Fantasy Football Now" at 11 a.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2, or join us at Fantasy Surround and get the show on WatchESPN.com . You'll get the latest news and updates right up to the start of the games. Here we go.

[h=3]Quarterbacks I love in Week 13[/h]Matthew Stafford, Lions: He's back, baby. Ignore the awkward sidearm action and cringe-worthy mechanics and focus on the fact that the Lions are throwing it a ton and he's been great in a dome. Even before last week's 61-pass-attempt shootout with Houston, Stafford was averaging 42 pass attempts a game, most in the NFL. When playing in a dome, he has averaged 343 passing yards and two TDs a game. The Colts' banged-up secondary is allowing 289 passing yards on the road and I'm going against Calvin Johnson in a must-win game for me, so you just know he'll go off.

Cam Newton, Panthers: Ah, there's the Cam we remember. No, he's not playing the Eagles, but he might as well be. The Chiefs allow the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and have given up at least two touchdowns to them in five of their past six. The running is what keeps Cam's potential floor so high; at least 30 yards rushing in six of the past seven, not to mention three rushing touchdowns in the past four games, as well. The passing and the running will combine to make a tasty fantasy sandwich for your opponent to eat. After all, they don't call him Ham Newton for nothing. What? They don't? Well, they should. That name is awesome. What about Spam Newton? Anything? Hello?

Tony Romo, Cowboys: I'm a glass-half-full guy. So although you might be critical of how insanely wide open Brandon LaFell was Monday night, I prefer to look at the fact that Nnamdi Asomugha took time out on that play to use the sideline phone and get a last-minute deal on a Disney cruise for the team. Priorities, people.

Eli Manning, Giants: Here's the embarrassing part. The Redskins aren't phoning in the season. They're just that bad. I'm not convinced he's all the way back, but, against Washington's 31st-ranked pass defense, it'll sure seem that way. Back in the top 10 this week.

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers: As @ESPNstatsinfo recently tweeted, Kaepernick has six 30-plus yard pass plays this season on 74 attempts. By comparison, Alex Smith has six 30-plus yard plays on 217 attempts. He has 18 and 19 fantasy points in his two starts, and he had 16 against these same Rams after Alex Smith left the game midway through the second quarter of their Week 10 showdown. It's not just the throwing but the mobility. You know about the rushing ability, but did you know what he completes? He not only completes 61.1 percent of his passes outside the pocket but he also completes … wait for it … me.

If you're desperate: I have Brandon Weeden ranked 20th (lower than some of the guys in the hate section), so you'd have to be pretty desperate, but double-digit fantasy points for him in every road game this year, and the Raiders give up the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. … Ryan Fitzpatrick is very much feast or famine, but more CJ Spiller on the field can only help and the matchup with Jacksonville is certainly right.

[h=3]Quarterbacks I hate in Week 13[/h]
Andrew Luck, Colts: Back-to-back games of 13 fantasy points, you probably know about Luck's struggles on the road: just four touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. That's the most interceptions on the road by any player in the NFL. He has bailed you out with the rushing TDs in some of those games, but you hate to count on that. And the Lions, believe it or not, are playing pretty decent pass defense these days. Sitting 10th in the NFL, they've allowed more than 250 yards passing just once in the past six weeks, and Matt Schaub needed five quarters to get there. Not a top-10 play for me this week.

Josh Freeman, Buccaneers: Denver has a top-10 pass defense and scoring defense, and it's easy to see why. The Broncos have allowed a league low eight, count 'em, eight, completions on throws more than 20 yards downfield this season despite facing the eighth-most attempts. They also have allowed the lowest completion percentage (17.8) on throws more than 20 yards downfield, and Josh's main target, Vincent Jackson, traditionally has struggled versus Denver (more on that later). Denver is also pretty strong against the run, so I don't see play-action being as effective here with Doug Martin. Freeman will be all right, but, again, not a top-12 play.

Chad Henne, Jaguars: Think he'll be OK, but before you get crazy, consider the Bills have been playing better recently … over the past two weeks, the Buffalo defense has allowed a 52.3 completion percentage (third best in the league), and its minus-1 TD-Int differential is tied for fourth in the NFL in that span.

Nick Foles, Eagles: "Welcome to the Disney Fantasy Cruise ship! We have some celebrities on board with us today. Everyone give a big welcome to the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, who are taking a much-needed vacation after the seas- (Hand over mike) What? It is? But then how are they… Ohhhhh. (Hand back off mike). Folks, a reminder, dinner is served at 6:30 and 8:30. Check your dining card!"

[h=3]Running backs I love in Week 13

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: What are they gonna do? Let Brady Quinn throw it? Otherwise known as "Did you see what Bryce Brown did to this defense last week?"

C.J. Spiller, Bills: I'm the only guy who has him in the top five, but, with Chan Gailey's announcement at his news conference that Spiller will get the ball even more, I'm on board in a big way. Dude is averaging -- as in, not his highest, mind you, but is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Want another mind-blowing stat? Only Adrian Peterson averages more yards after contact than Spiller. You heard me. He's a tough tackle, too. Great running back with good matchups (Jags 29th versus the run)? Hello, sailor.

Bryce Brown, Eagles: The only guy not on vacation (rookie hazing, perhaps?); last week was not a fluke. Wrote about him in this column last week, and obviously I stand by what I said then: I really like his skill set. This is a guy who is not only solid between the tackles but ran a 4.3 40. He's the best thing they have going on offense, and I can't see LeSean McCoy playing in this game. Dallas has allowed seven touchdowns and 121 total yards a game to opposing running backs the past seven weeks. Brown is a solid second running back this week.

Adrian Peterson, Vikings: I include him here because I just love these stats: His 2.8 yards after contact per rush is the same as Rashad Jennings' total yards per rush, and his 595 yards after contact would rank 21st in the league yardage, ahead of players such as Ryan Mathews, Darren McFadden and Michael Turner.

Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers: Mike Tomlin finally came out and declared what fantasy owners have known for a long time: Pittsburgh's best running back is Jonathan Dwyer. Also that the Steelers would rather be punting on first down and getting their defense back on the field than having Charlie Batch throw it. Anyway, Dwyer is the guy, and I think he'll be decent here in a high-end flex sort of way. Against the Ravens in Week 11, Dwyer averaged 4.6 yards per carry and had 81 total yards on 15 touches. He should get even more work than that, and the Ravens give up 128.5 rush yards per game, seventh-most in NFL.

If you're desperate: Looking as if Darren McFadden is back, but I can't imagine Marcel Reece going back to obscurity. Averaging an insane 7.6 yards per touch (highest in the NFL), Reece is the answer to a great bar bet: Name the only four running backs with at least 40 rushes and 40 catches this year. Ray Rice, Trent Richardson, LeSean McCoy and, you guessed it, Marcel Reece. … Speaking of flex plays, Jacquizz Rodgers is coming off a 12-touch game, and I could see him in on a lot of snaps in a high-scoring, pass-happy game. … With Mikel Leshoure missing practice Wednesday with an ankle injury, I like Joique Bell against Indy's 20th-ranked run defense if Leshoure is out. … It also looks as though Matt Forte will play but maybe Michael Bush will get more work than normal in this game, and it's not as bad a matchup as you might think. Over the past six weeks, the Seahawks have allowed 544 yards inside the tackles, the third-highest total in the league, and 92 of Michael Bush's 106 rushes this year have come inside the tackles. Check on Forte's status, but if he's limited or out, Bush could be a decent flex.

[/h][h=3]Running backs I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Ryan Mathews, Chargers: Pick a stat, any stat. Hasn't had 100-yard rushing game since Week 14 of 2011! Hasn't had a rushing touchdown since Week 5. In fact, as our player card notes, over the past nine weeks, he has more fumbles than rushing touchdowns. The offensive line is banged-up, and, since their bye four weeks ago, the Bengals have allowed just one touchdown by an opposing running back.

Rashad Jennings, Jaguars: Mom always said if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. So, um … he's currently a starting running back in the NFL. There. That's the nicest thing I can say. Now, I should stop here, but Mom never had a column to fill. I get that it's a good matchup and, sure, he could score here, but Jennings has gotten plenty of chances this year, averaging just 2.7 yards per carry. It's Week 13. Unless you're truly desperate, do you really want your postseason chances hinging on Rashad Jennings?

Michael Turner, Falcons: He has scored in three of the past four weeks. The one game he didn't? Against the Saints. Jacquizz Rodgers was on the field for more snaps than he was last week, and you know he's slow, right? But get this: Despite being listed as 51 pounds heavier, Michael Turner has averaged fewer yards per rush after contact (1.6) than Jacquizz Rodgers (2.1) this season. Ugh. Look, it all boils down to whether you think he'll score. I just hate touchdown-dependent running backs on passing offenses, but, hey, I've been mostly wrong on him all year, so if you have to start him, console yourself with that.

Fred Jackson, Bills: See Spiller, C.J. Jackson is a flex play at best this week with a healthy Spiller getting the majority of touches.

DeAngelo Williams, Panthers: See Jennings, Rashad. It's a good matchup and we expect Jonathan Stewart to be out, but he still has Lamb (no?) Newton and Mike Tolbert to compete with at the goal line, and same theory as with Jennings. If I'm going down this week, it's not gonna be with DeAngelo "3.2 yards per carry" Williams.

[/h][h=3]Wide receivers I love in Week 13

Randall Cobb, Packers: Not worried about Greg Jennings being back. In addition to everything else, Cobb is now the player with the most end zone targets in the NFL.

Wes Welker, Patriots: Seems to always crush against Miami; the Dolphins send at least five rushers on 40.9 percent of dropbacks, which is the second-highest total in the league. Wes Welker leads the Patriots with 29 targets and 19 receptions when defenses send added pressure.

Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, Cowboys: "Is this where we check in for snorkeling? It's A-S-O-M-U-G-H-A. Asomugha." "Oh, yes sir, here you are. The boat leaves in 10 minutes. Here's your mask and flippers."

Brian Hartline, Dolphins: No doubt, a risk/reward guy this week, so understand you are playing with fire, but here's why I like him: Even with Aqib Talib in the past two games, the Patriots have allowed four completions deeper than 20 yards downfield (tied for third-most). And, for the year, they've allowed 25 receptions on throws that distance, which is six more than any other team in the NFL. This just in: You can throw deep on the Pats. Hartline not only is their deep threat but has at least five targets in 10 of 11 games this season, more than any other Dolphin.

Cecil Shorts, Jaguars: Keep mentioning him, he keeps producing. Here's another good bar bet: The only wide receivers with more 30-plus yard plays than Cecil Shorts this season are … Demaryius Thomas and A.J. Green. The Bills have given up nine touchdowns on throws of that distance this season, which is tied for third-most in the league. (by the way, if you took the 11 quarters Chad Henne and Justin Blackmon have played together and extrapolated it over 16 games, Blackmon would have 122 catches, 2,661 yards and 17 touchdowns. Whoa: Crazy Crazy, indeed.

Brandon Stokley, Broncos: For those in deeper leagues, Stokley is an interesting play here. Two scores in his past three, and four in his past seven, and get this: The Bucs allow an NFL-worst 10.1 yards per attempt to slot receivers, and their opponents 75.5 completion percentage to slot wide receivers is also highest in the league.

If you're desperate: It's also definite risk/reward territory, but the thing I like about Pierre Garcon is he just needs one play to make it a big day. And the Redskins certainly are gonna try to get him that shot. … Because of the way we publish only the top-50 consensus receivers, it doesn't show up, but I ranked Mohamed Sanu in my own top 50, and, although four TDs in three games is unlikely to continue, it's a great matchup with San Diego and the Chargers will be very worried about A.J. Green. … I also ranked Davone Bess, who has at least 50 yards in four straight games and the Patriots don't struggle with just the deep ball, but also with the slot receivers. Patriots have allowed the second-most catches and yards to opposing slot receivers. … Speaking of the Pats, Julian Edelman has three touchdowns in the four games he has played when either Rob Gronkowski or Aaron Hernandez is out.

[/h][h=3]Wide receivers I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers: Man, I hope I am wrong on this one. I have him going in a very important matchup and need a big game. Sadly, I don't think I am going to get it. As a member of the Chargers, he has played against the Broncos 11 times, and Champ Bailey was active in 10 of those games. In the 10 games Champ played, Jackson has caught at least five passes only once, has never reached 100 receiving yards and has just three touchdowns.
Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs: Brady. Quinn. Do I need to say more? Fine. Averaging 54.5 receiving yards per game at home, he hasn't scored since Week 4 and the Panthers allow the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts.

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Sorry, Larry, it's not you, it's Lindley.

Mike Wallace, Steelers: If Ben Roethlisberger does not start, no Steeler should, except maybe Dwyer and the defense. If Ben does give it a go, Wallace becomes a flex play, but with single-digit fantasy points in five of his past six, not one I have a ton of confidence in.

[/h][h=3]Tight ends I love in Week 13

Aaron Hernandez, Patriots: Fair warning. I listed him here last week and he was, like, the one Patriot who did nothing (although he did have a TD called back and a very questionable offensive pass interference call).

Jason Witten, Cowboys: "I'm on the Lido deck playing shuffleboard. Why? Where you at?"

Brandon Pettigrew, Lions: Coming off an 8-for-74-yard game, I'm hoping this is a start of his getting more involved in the offense. You know I love Stafford this week, and the Colts have allowed four TDs by opposing tight ends in the past four games. Not a great option, but, as a low-end starter, you could do worse, especially in PPR leagues.

Martellus Bennett, Giants: Five for 79 yards the last time they played, and Washington gives up the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. And, against Washington's nonexistent pass rush, it's not as if he'll need to stay in and block or anything.

If you're desperate: The Titans keep saying they want to get Jared Cook more involved and they have a new offensive coordinator this week, so maybe they'll make good on the promise. Texans are banged-up on defense and have given up 16 catches for 171 yards and two TDs to opposing tight ends the past two games. … Dallas Clark continues his return to fantasy relevance with 50 yards and/or a TD in three straight games. No team allows more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than the Broncos, and you know I think Champ will be all over Vincent Jackson. If I wanted to go super cheap in a daily salary-cap league, he'd be a guy I'd take a strong look at. … If Kenny Phillips misses this game for the Giants, Logan Paulsen could have some success against New York. He had 76 yards against them the last time they played (and Phillips was out).

[/h][h=3]Tight ends I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Heath Miller, Steelers: After a hot start, he has struggled to find the end zone; no touchdowns in the past four weeks. Not sure whether Ben is playing in this game, and, even if he does, will he be 100 percent? Ravens have allowed just one TD to an opposing tight end all year.

Antonio Gates, Chargers: How can you trust him at this point? It's not a horrible matchup, but, seriously, how can you trust him? Maybe he scores, maybe he has a one-point game the way he has in three of the past five and four of the past six.

Jermichael Finley, Packers: He got his shot. Now it's back to the hate list. You know, when your quarterback has to keep telling people there's no issue between you and him, there's probably an issue between the two of you.

[/h][h=3]Defenses I love in Week 13

New York Jets D/ST: Available in 43 percent of leagues, the Jets were actually a pretty solid fantasy defense for a while there, with three double-digit games in the five games before the New England debacle. Then they got destroyed. I believe that, after getting humiliated on a national stage, they'll come out strong at home, especially given that they get the Cardinals and Ryan Lindley. Lindley has five turnovers in the past two games, three of which have been returned for touchdowns. It's a bad offensive line in Arizona, and the Cardinals allow the second-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.

Arizona Cardinals D/ST: Of course, it's not as though facing Mark Sanchez is super intimidating, either.

Cleveland Browns D/ST: Nine or more points in three of the past four, I don't think they'll get eight turnovers again, but Carson Palmer has been known to throw a pick or two.

Dallas Cowboys D/ST: "Ship Hop Karaoke would like to welcome Nick Foles to the stage. Hi, Nick! What are you singing for us tonight?"

If you're desperate: Any time you get a defense going against Rivers and what they pretend is an offensive line in San Diego, good things tend to happen. This week, it's the Cincinnati Bengals' turn. … As I mentioned earlier, the Buffalo Bills have been playing decent defense the past two weeks and, despite the recent success, Chad Henne is still Chad Henne.

[/h][h=3]Defenses I hate in Week 13[/h][h=3]
Green Bay Packers D/ST: Just too banged-up, and, with Adrian Peterson carrying the load, I don't see lots of opportunities for turnovers or even sacks.

St. Louis Rams D/ST: They were great last week and held their own the first time they played the Niners, but Kaepernick should have a much easier time of it this go-round, and this time he gets to start the game.

[/h]

HacheMan · Dec 2, 2012

Sneaky fantasy pickups entering Week 13

Eric Karabell

The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback situation has been a hot topic for fantasy owners over the past few weeks that seemingly won't go away.

But as we dig deeper in yet another Friday Sneaky Pickups blog entry, it's time to focus on a different area of the 49ers: their running back depth. Frank Gore owners have nothing to worry about at this time, as the veteran has played splendidly and there's little reason to expect that to cease, but his top backup is out for the season, creating opportunity for others.

Gore ranks ninth in standard running back scoring for the season, but Kendall Hunter was averaging more than seven touches per game and five yards per carry. Hunter, done after tearing his Achilles, was owned in more than 10 percent of leagues, reasonable since he was the handcuff for a 29-year-old running back.

The 49ers will now turn to one of three options in relief, an older and experienced Brandon Jacobs, a potentially exciting rookie who hasn't touched the football in a regular-season game in LaMichael James or the well-liked but barely used veteran Anthony Dixon.

Jacobs is the obvious pick, and if he can be at all effective, it's hardly a reach to expect him factoring into goal-line and short-yardage opportunities right away. James was ultraproductive at Oregon, is built much like Hunter and has the speed to get to the outside (Jacobs surely does not) and the pass-catching ability. While it seems unlikely that James would see an opportunity anytime soon, remember this is a team that recently handed its quarterback job to an untested sophomore despite the reliable veteran being healthy enough to play. Normal rules don't apply. Jacobs has experience, and even last season, when he plodded his way to 3.8 yards per rush, he scored eight touchdowns. He is owned in only 6 percent of ESPN standard formats.

The overlooked option is Dixon, a 25-year-old with 41 rushing attempts since the start of the 2011 season. Dixon is a capable blocker, which still matters even with a mobile quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, but fantasy owners should rank Jacobs first among the Gore backups, then James on the upside and finally Dixon. If you're a Gore owner, this is something to consider.

Quarterback: With the fantasy playoffs approaching, it's tough to find anyone sneaky to add among the quarterbacks, since there are at least 15 guys worthy of starting in a 10-team league. One situation to watch in deeper formats is in Oakland, where the Raiders are going nowhere and former Ohio State athlete Terrelle Pryor is under contract. Carson Palmer has done nothing wrong, but neither had Kyle Orton for a terrible Denver Broncos team when he lost the starting role in December 2010. If you're a Palmer owner, make sure you're prepared for anything. … I don't see any other awful teams making quarterback switches just because they can. The Eagles and Browns have their rookies playing. The Cardinals and Chiefs have nothing appealing. The Jaguars will go with Chad Henne. The Bills could take a look at Tarvaris Jackson, but good luck with that. What about the Jets? No, not with Tim Tebow but with Greg McElroy. Hey, what do they have to lose?

Running back: Keep an eye on what the Giants do with the touches when Ahmad Bradshaw isn't in the game, though word from North Jersey is that Bradshaw might not be sharing much. It's wholly presumed that rookie David Wilson is next in line, and I don't really doubt that, despite seeing what the Denver Broncos did in Week 12 with Ronnie Hillman. Ryan Torain and Kregg Lumpkin were signed as depth this week. Torain saw carries in only one game against the Giants in his two seasons with the Washington Redskins, but one Wilson fumble and this situation changes. … Philadelphia Eagles rookie Bryce Brown went from unowned to fantasy's top running back in Week 12. Who does that in Week 13? Well, nobody has been entrusted with the obvious opportunity, but Chris Rainey in Pittsburgh is somewhat intriguing. Everyone seems to love Jonathan Dwyer, but he has averaged less than 3 yards per carry in two of the past three weeks. I don't buy the team committing to him. … Similarly, why presume DeAngelo Williams will suddenly step in and rock with Jonathan Stewart out in Carolina? Mike Tolbert has had a miserable season statistically, but he should get more chances in Week 13.

Wide receiver: There are so many wide receivers playing at a high level, as opposed to running back, so there's less need to be sneaky. Still, the 49ers lost Kyle Williams to a torn ACL, and some guy named Randy Moss -- ever heard of him? -- could see more targets. … Cole Beasley stepped up in Week 12 with Miles Austin out, and the Cowboys face a brutal Eagles defense this week. Austin could miss the game. … Speaking of Philly, with DeSean Jackson done for the season -- give him some credit, he had zero dropped passes -- it means Riley Cooper will start. Cooper should be a red zone option, at the least. … The Chargers' Vincent Brown is supposedly running at full speed and ready to start practicing. Can he give us two or three relevant weeks? … The Giants threw all over the Packers in Week 12. In Week 13, Christian Ponder and the Vikings get that chance. Jarius Wright, who had seven catches on 10 targets against the Bears, should again replace an ailing Percy Harvin. … I doubt we see Travis Benjamin get major snaps for the Cleveland Browns anytime soon, but he's a speedster and the schedule is friendly.

Good luck to all in Week 13 and beyond!

HacheMan · Dec 3, 2012

Thoughts on Russell Wilson, Matt Forte ...

Eric Karabell

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson generally has been ignored from a fantasy aspect this season, but his signature performance Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago (26 standard fantasy points) will force even the most skeptical fantasy owners to consider him. In a season with marvelous performances by rookie quarterbacks -- and Andrew Luck certainly didn't disappoint in his comeback victory Sunday -- Wilson definitely is relevant as many fantasy owners hit their playoffs.

<offer>Looking little like the September version that couldn't approach 200 passing yards, Wilson threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns Sunday against the defensively tough Chicago Bears, showing composure and a strong arm and accuracy from the pocket. He added a cool 71 rushing yards, 47 of them coming impressively on the final two scoring drives. This isn't one of those aberrant outings fantasy owners have been taught to not overrate, because Wilson currently has five consecutive games of 15 or more fantasy points, something no other quarterback can boast. If his running success Sunday was a harbinger of what's to come, then this is really someone who is drastically underrated. With 19 passing touchdowns this season, he's within reach of Peyton Manning's rookie mark of 26.

Wilson currently is owned in a mere 17.9 percent of ESPN standard leagues, which ranks 26th at the position, and he was active in 3.2 percent, or fewer than Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets. The activation mark makes some sense considering the opponent and venue -- the Seahawks were 6-16 in road games under coach Pete Carroll -- but Wilson has outplayed numerous top-10 passers since the last week of October. For example, Green Bay Packers stud Aaron Rodgers has failed to exceed 15 points in four of his past five games. I doubt too many people would sit Rodgers for Wilson, but the numbers don't lie. In Week 15, Rodgers heads to Soldier Field in Chicago, while Wilson goes to Buffalo to face the Bills. I could see Wilson ending up in my top 10 for that week, and Rodgers outside the top 5 (Rodgers was originally out of my top 5 this week, and delivered only 14 points). Drew Brees and Matt Ryan each have had five-interception performances recently. Wilson, meanwhile, was last picked off in October.

Ultimately, the low ownership total on Wilson can be blamed on four single-digit fantasy outings in his first seven, but he's a different player since then. If you have a playoff-bound team, the pending Bills matchup is enough to add him. Next week against the Arizona Cardinals and Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers aren't easy matchups. Then again, Wilson just put up 26 fantasy points in Chicago, and he was 6-for-7 for 75 yards when the Bears brought added pressure. His hot stretch is a reminder that season numbers don't mean much once December hits. Trends speak louder.

Similarly, fantasy owners should show more interest in his top wide receivers, Sidney Rice and Golden Tate, each of whom scored Sunday. Rice, who caught the winning score, has five touchdowns in five games, and his 99 receiving yards were a season-best. He's owned in 92 percent of leagues, but also wasn't popular in a high percentage of Week 13 lineups. Tate is owned in only 10 percent of leagues despite having 15 or more fantasy points in three of four weeks. These Seahawks -- and we didn't even mention matchups-proof running back Marshawn Lynch -- are playing well enough for fantasy owners to take notice.

Second down: Unlike most recent weeks, the top fantasy performers Sunday are owned in most, if not all, leagues, and they came up big at the right time. The incredible Adrian Peterson topped 200 rushing yards for the first time since his rookie year of 2007, and he's on pace for perhaps his best statistical NFL season, but fantasy owners need the Minnesota Vikings to win a game occasionally, too. Not to be negative, but the Vikings have lost four of five, and if Weeks 16 and 17 don't matter, well, veteran fantasy players know the drill with fantasy superstars in late December. Peterson might not get to face the Houston Texans and Packers those final two weeks if the real playoffs are out of reach. It stinks, but that's a reality for a player who had major knee surgery less than a year ago. Backup Toby Gerhart, with no more than one rushing attempt in a game since Week 5, thrived last December, and certainly Peterson owners don't want him sitting, but you should plan ahead. On the positive side, Peterson will move into the top running back slot in Tuesday's end-of-season rankings because, let's face it, the 11-1 Texans might clinch everything in the AFC and sit Arian Foster once or twice as well.

Third down: The Bears team that Peterson will face in Week 14 had a running back situation that was in flux much of this week until it became clear that Matt Forte and his sprained ankle would be able to suit up. Forte ran 21 times for 66 yards and caught a touchdown pass against a tough Seahawks defense, but those who believe this is the same player who flashed top-10 skills a season ago and was drafted 16th overall in ESPN average live drafts should look again. Forte hasn't averaged more than 3.1 yards per carry since Week 9, and despite Sunday's first receiving touchdown, he has barely been a factor in the passing game. He has scored only four touchdowns all season. I've been ranking Forte as barely a RB2, and things aren't likely to improve anytime soon despite Sunday's 15-point fantasy outing, which entering the Eagles-Cowboys Sunday night game was tied for second behind Peterson for Week 13 scoring among running backs.

Fourth down: St. Louis Rams point-per-reception monster Danny Amendola was deemed inactive because of a foot injury Sunday, but rookie Chris Givens stepped up with 11 catches on 14 targets against the tough 49ers. For Givens, a serious deep threat who entered play with five catches of 50 of more yards, it might seem disappointing that he totaled only 92 yards on those receptions, with his longest play being 16 yards, but it's a great sign that he's becoming more versatile. His prior season-best in catches was five, and he had 22 receptions this season before Sunday. Well, in Week 14, Givens faces the Bills. Not to pick on the Bills again, but facing them is generally a good thing in fantasy football. Even if Amendola returns, Givens, who caught 115 yards worth of passes in Week 12, is an emerging talent and dynasty-league focus still available in 97 percent of standard formats, and for deep leagues, he's worthy of top-40 wide receiver status in the coming weeks.
</offer>

HacheMan · Dec 3, 2012

Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson still winners in fantasy

December 2. 2012 - During the final Sunday afternoon for most fantasy football regular seasons, familiar faces dominated to help lock up playoff berths.Adrian Peterson's 210 rushing yards, including an 82-yard touchdown during his trampling of the Green Bay Packers, reminds players that the Minnesota Vikings' warrior is as money as you can get at this juncture.
He wasn't the only bankable, opponent-independent commodity cashing in. The Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson (13 catches, 171 yards, one score) and the Chicago Bears' Brandon Marshall (10, 165) stuffed stat sheets. The New England Patriots' Wes Welker (12-103-1) and healthy Aaron Hernandez (eight for 97) helped their squad clinch the AFC East.
MORE: Analysis from KFFL.com
Marshawn Lynch found paydirt and averaged 4.6 yards a carry for the Seattle Seahawks versus the tough Chicago Bears. Matt Forte, coming off a Week 12 ankle ding, also approached 100 yards from scrimmage and logged a six-pointer. Jamaal Charles, in an emotional Kansas City Chiefs victory, once again tallied 138 hashes.
A pair of rookie quarterbacks produced dramatic victories. Andrew Luck directed the Indianapolis Colts to a game-closing score while continuing his notable fantasy campaign. He fell nine yards short of another 400-yard aerial contest while unleashing four TD passes.
The less reliable Russell Wilson shined on the road by posting 293 yards and two touchdowns with his arm, including the game-winner, along with 71 yards with his feet. Though Seattle has three home games remaining, their upcoming opponents don't prompt confidence in him.
A wavering sophomore slinger, Cam Newton, touched up the Chiefs' defense for 232 throwing yards, three touchdowns, and 78 rushing yards: His schedule in Weeks 14 through 16 bolsters his cred if you're riding the weekly QB carousel.
Is Arian Foster tiring? He found the end zone but underwhelmed in non-PPR formats with 53 total yards. Game pace contributed to it, and the Houston Texans have expressed little concern about Foster's workload. But Justin Forsett has been running hard. He compiled 64 ground hashmarks (4.6 per carry) against the Tennessee Titans and continues to provide handy rushing relief.
Ben Tate may touch the pigskin more frequently as he gets his footing back, but with Houston in position to lock up a high postseason seed soon, consider Forsett the preferred speculative beneficiary of Foster resting down the stretch.
Tennessee's early deficit restrained Chris Johnson's impact; he had just 71 offensive yards and a lost fumble. His fantasy postseason schedule looks decent, though, so stick with the Titans trotter.
To the infirmary
Hamstring injuries knocked out a pair of wide receivers in the Buffalo Bills' Stevie Johnson and the Packers' Jordy Nelson. Any inactivity for the former would cripple an already shaky Buffalo passing game and put even more defensive attention on C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, who each scored and topped 75 offensive yards on Sunday.
Nelson's departure -- a frequent occurrence this year -- opened up reps for the returning Greg Jennings and the erratic James Jones. If Nelson misses time, that makes the latter two solid plays.
Rashad Jennings' potential concussion may prompt a return by Maurice Jones-Drew (foot); the Jacksonville Jaguars' backfield has been plagued by injuries and incompetence. Fullback Montell Owens may not be another Marcel Reece, but he's worth a desperation grab because the lowly Jags might not want a noteworthy external replacement if MJD remains hobbled.
Reece's run as a pickup pay-off, in fact, might be over. He ceded Oakland Raiders tailback work to Jeremy Stewart. Whenever Darren McFadden gets back, and even if he doesn't, this backfield could be a real mess as they play out the string. At least Oakland had a standout day from tight end Brandon Myers, who notched 14 catches, 130 yards and one score to continue his surprisingly brilliant point-per-reception season.
Not disgusted enough? The "game" between the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals may enter the Mount Rushmore of unwatchable NFL duels. Jets coach Rex Ryan had his fill and pulled starting quarterback Mark Sanchez for Greg McElroy. Hardly Drew Bledsoe for Tom Brady, but McElroy at least lit a small fire under the offense. Regardless of who starts at QB, skill players for both teams -- sadly, including Larry Fitzgerald -- hardly deserve your confidence.

HacheMan · Dec 4, 2012

Free-agent finds for Week 14

By Christopher Harris | ESPN.com

[h=3]Standard ESPN League Finds[/h]
Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns (owned in 24.3 percent of ESPN.com leagues): It has been nine weeks since I put Gordon on the main FAF list, and while he has had his fantasy ups and downs, his role in the Cleveland offense has solidified. In that time, Gordon has a team-high 43 targets (as opposed to 22 before that) and a team-high 471 receiving yards, plus he is sixth in the league in average yards at the catch since Week 5. He and Brandon Weeden always figure to be hamstrung by Pat Shurmur's conservative pass attack, but on film, Gordon passes the eye test. He has Brandon Marshall upside. At the very least, every fantasy squad that made its playoffs should try to add Gordon as a potential fill-in if one of your starters gets hurt. And frankly, I bet there are some teams for which Gordon could start in Week 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brandon Myers, TE, Oakland Raiders (22.1 percent): Myers has made FAF twice: Week 2, when I recommended him as a deep-league option, and Week 11, when I upgraded him to standard leagues. But not enough folks have paid attention, so I'm touting him here again. In a tight end landscape that has seen Vernon Davis fall out of the fantasy top 10, Antonio Gates fall off the map and Jermichael Finley only recently become vaguely relevant, Myers is tied for fifth in fantasy points. He has hit double digits in three of his past five contests and produced a whopping 14 receptions for 130 yards Sunday. No, Myers does not belong to the genus of tight ends who qualify as "freaks." He is a big, slowish guy who boxes out well, catches what's thrown to him and serves as a reliable safety valve. In other seasons, that might be underwhelming, but 2012 has been a nuclear wasteland for tight ends. I can't emphasize this strongly enough: If you are rolling with Davis, Gates or Finley, you should be starting Myers instead.

Mike Thomas, WR, Detroit Lions (0.2 percent): Do I think adding Thomas will lead you to a fantasy playoff win? Let's just say I'm skeptical, especially considering his horrible end zone drop in Week 13. But does it seem apparent that Thomas is now Detroit's No. 2 wideout? It sure does. Nate Burleson has a broken leg. Ryan Broyles just tore his other ACL. And Titus Young isn't getting anywhere near the field for the Lions for at least the rest of this season. Then again, somehow fellow castoffs Kassim Osgood (0.0 percent) and Brian Robiskie (0.0 percent) are also on this roster, so who knows how things shake out opposite Calvin Johnson? The guy this all benefits most could actually be Tony Scheffler (0.9 percent), who basically functioned as Matthew Stafford's slot receiver after Broyles was injured Sunday.

Tim Tebow, QB, New York Jets (9.7 percent): All right, I'll say it. Maybe the Jets will finally indulge in a little Tebow Time before season's end. I'm assuming Greg McElroy (0.0 percent) will get the Week 14 start against the Jacksonville Jaguars in place of the soon-to-be-deposed Mark Sanchez, but McElroy won't have any better weapons than Sanchez did, doesn't have a big arm and isn't a runner. Tebow was inactive Sunday because of injured ribs, and there's no guarantee he'll be ready if needed. But if he is, we all know he's a fantasy difference-maker because of his rushing skills. Do I expect standard-leaguers who add Tebow to plug him into their lineup at any time during the fantasy playoffs? I don't, but weirder things have happened. As a speculative move, I'd add Tebow before McElroy.

Other solid waiver adds, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers (45.7 percent); Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks (17.8 percent); Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos (48.8 percent); James Starks, RB, Packers (7 percent); Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Steelers (41.2 percent); Marcel Reece, RB, Raiders (45.7 percent); Danario Alexander, WR, Chargers (26.8 percent); Golden Tate, WR, Seahawks (10 percent); T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts (33.6 percent); Chris Givens, WR, Rams (3.1 percent); Dallas Clark, TE, Buccaneers (5.2 percent).

[h=3]Deeper League Finds[/h]
Montell Owens, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (0.0 percent): Owens came into 2012 with 18 career touches from scrimmage, having mostly played fullback and special teams. But a litany of running back injuries may land him atop the Jags' depth chart. Maurice Jones-Drew almost certainly won't be back for Week 14, Jalen Parmele is out for the season with a groin injury, and Rashad Jennings suffered a concussion early in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. Owens produced 40 yards on eight touches and is a big fella at 225 pounds, but he offers no wiggle whatsoever. If Jennings can't go against the Jets this week, Owens would lead a committee that could include Jordan Todman and Richard Murphy.

Benjamin Watson, TE, Cleveland Browns (5.6 percent): In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. In the three games since the Browns' bye, Watson has squinted his way to 13 catches, 153 yards and two touchdowns. In this year's tight end crop, that's practically legend. Despite the slow progress Jordan Cameron has made, Watson could still produce his second 50-catch season in three years in Cleveland, though I'm fairly sure I won't have him ranked within my top 15 tight ends at any time this December.

Tony Moeaki, TE, Kansas City Chiefs (0.7 percent): When practically all your quarterback can do is check down, sometimes the tight end actually benefits. That appears to be the case with Moeaki, who is riding a four-game skein of 13 grabs for 235 yards and a touchdown, thanks in large part to Brady Quinn. Moeaki has been an injury waiting to happen for almost two years, but in a deeper league, he's an option.

Rod Streater, WR, Oakland Raiders (0.5 percent): This undrafted rookie out of Temple caught a deep ball for a 64-yard score Sunday and had three grabs for 96 yards overall. He benefited from Denarius Moore's benching, which probably won't stretch into Week 14's Thursday night tilt against the Denver Broncos, but if you're in a super-deep league, I don't mind Streater as a bench addition.

Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (0.1 percent): Cooper is playing in DeSean Jackson's flanker spot, and while Jason Avant saw more action Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys (four catches for 79 yards), one of Cooper's two catches went for a red zone score. Nick Foles will be Philly's starting quarterback for the rest of the season, which limits everyone's upside, but if there's a preferred fantasy option after Jeremy Maclin (really, there isn't), it's Cooper.

Joe Webb, QB, Minnesota Vikings (0.3 percent): I'm totally speculating, but if the Vikes really want to compete for a wild-card spot in December, don't they have to think about benching Christian Ponder? Ponder looked as though he had made strides earlier in the season, but he has had four execrably bad outings in his past six, including each of his past two against divisional foes. Yes, he's without Percy Harvin, which stinks. But 12-for-25 for 119 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs? That stat line is positively Sanchez-ian. Leslie Frazier says he is sticking with Ponder, but in the deepest of deep leagues, you could add the athletic Webb, whose running chops would make him intriguing if he sees action.

Other solid waiver adds for deep-leaguers, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Brandon Weeden, QB, Browns (7.5 percent); Chad Henne, QB, Jaguars (8.5 percent); Sam Bradford, QB, Rams (38.8 percent); Jake Locker, QB, Titans (6.9 percent); David Wilson, RB, Giants (40.8 percent); Jacquizz Rodgers, Falcons, RB (33.0 percent); Joique Bell, RB, Lions (9.5 percent); Bilal Powell, RB, Jets (1.8 percent); Kendall Wright, WR, Titans (13.4 percent); Andrew Hawkins, WR, Bengals (10.7 percent); Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Steelers (3.7 percent); Donnie Avery, WR, Colts (8.4 percent); Santana Moss, WR, Redskins (41.5 percent); Andre Roberts, WR, Cardinals (34.1 percent); Jeremy Kerley, WR, Jets (37.1 percent); Davone Bess, WR, Dolphins (19.8 percent); Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jaguars (18.7 percent); Dwayne Allen, TE, Colts (2.8 percent); Dennis Pitta, TE, Ravens (30.4 percent); Jeff Cumberland, TE, Jets (0.1 percent).

HacheMan · Dec 4, 2012

2012 ranks: Peyton, Peterson back at No. 1

Eric Karabell

Changes abound in this week's end-of-season rankings, as the top spot is up for grabs at multiple positions. Of course, the changes don't end there. In many leagues, the fantasy playoffs have arrived, so I'm back to help with December planning. The Week 14 rankings will be posted Wednesday. Good luck!

[h=3]Top 40 Quarterbacks[/h]

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<center> Rank </center>	Player	<center> Team </center>	<center> Prev. </center>
1	Peyton Manning	Den	4
2	Tom Brady	NE	2
3	Drew Brees	NO	1
4	Robert Griffin III	Wsh	5
5	Aaron Rodgers	GB	3
6	Andrew Luck	Ind	6
7	Cam Newton	Car	10
8	Matthew Stafford	Det	8
9	Matt Ryan	Atl	7
10	Tony Romo	Dal	12
11	Josh Freeman	TB	9
12	Eli Manning	NYG	11
13	Carson Palmer	Oak	13
14	Andy Dalton	Cin	14
15	Russell Wilson	Sea	21
16	Colin Kaepernick	SF	16
17	Matt Schaub	Hou	15
18	Ben Roethlisberger	Pit	18
19	Philip Rivers	SD	17
20	Jay Cutler	Chi	20
21	Chad Henne	Jac	23
22	Joe Flacco	Bal	19
23	Sam Bradford	StL	25
24	Ryan Fitzpatrick	Buf	26
25	Ryan Tannehill	Mia	27
26	Christian Ponder	Min	24
27	Jake Locker	Ten	28
28	Brandon Weeden	Cle	29
29	Nick Foles	Phi	31
30	Alex Smith	SF	32
31	Tim Tebow	NYJ	40
32	Brady Quinn	KC	36
33	Mark Sanchez	NYJ	30
34	Greg McElroy	NYJ	NR
35	Kevin Kolb	Ari	33
36	Ryan Lindley	Ari	34
37	John Skelton	Ari	35
38	Charlie Batch	Pit	37
39	Shaun Hill	Det	39
40	Michael Vick	Phi	22

A few weeks ago, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw five interceptions in a game, and subsequently dropped a bit in these rankings. This past week, the No. 1 guy in the rankings, Drew Brees, also threw five picks. The fact is that while the great Aaron Rodgers has been rather ordinary the past month-plus, exceeding 15 fantasy points only once, he's not alone in his average play. Brees scored a crushing 3 fantasy points in Week 13, even though his five-game stretch of passing for fewer than 300 yards did end. Tom Brady had been excellent, but not on Sunday, when he scored 11 points.

As a result, the new No. 1 quarterback is a fellow who has held the top spot many times before 2012: Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos. Manning has only one game with fewer than 17 fantasy points since Week 2 (and it was 14 points, not 3), and his pending schedule is very nice. It's somehow fitting that Manning and Adrian Peterson, each of whom have overcome serious injuries and rather modest draft position to thrive this season, each hit the top spot in these rankings in the same week.

Of course, if you own Manning, Brady, Brees or Rodgers, you're probably not sitting them either way. As noted in Sunday night's Four Downs blog, however, you have options if you want to sit a struggling passer. Seattle Seahawks rookie Russell Wilson has been playing like a top-5 guy since October, which not coincidentally was the last time he was intercepted. He moves way up, though not quite to top-10 status just yet. Cam Newton moves into that range, though, as no quarterback topped him in fantasy points either of the past two weeks. Tony Romo of the contending Dallas Cowboys re-enters the top 10 as well.

As for the quarterbacks after the top 20, Chad Henne, Sam Bradford and Nick Foles, each seemingly safe in the starter role, move up some. Brady Quinn played well Sunday. Joe Flacco, Christian Ponder and Michael Vick are headed the opposite direction. Vick stops at No. 40, but it seems his season probably is over. And a week after we needed to rank a trio of Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks, none worth much in fantasy, the slumping Cards traveled to North Jersey and lost to the New York Jets by one point. It was a miserable game for quarterback play, and now three Jets quarterbacks are ranked. Sure, add Tim Tebow in case he plays, but it sure seems as though the Jets aren't interested in playing him.

[h=3]Top 60 Running Backs[/h]

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<center> Rank </center>	Player	<center> Team </center>	<center> Prev. </center>
1	Adrian Peterson	Min	2
2	Arian Foster	Hou	1
3	Marshawn Lynch	Sea	3
4	Ray Rice	Bal	5
5	Doug Martin	TB	4
6	Trent Richardson	Cle	6
7	Alfred Morris	Wsh	9
8	Frank Gore	SF	7
9	Chris Johnson	Ten	8
10	Stevan Ridley	NE	10
11	C.J. Spiller	Buf	11
12	Ahmad Bradshaw	NYG	12
13	Jamaal Charles	KC	13
14	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	Cin	14
15	Steven Jackson	StL	15
16	Bryce Brown	Phi	31
17	Mikel Leshoure	Det	18
18	Matt Forte	Chi	17
19	DeMarco Murray	Dal	47
20	Michael Turner	Atl	20
21	Fred Jackson	Buf	21
22	Darren McFadden	Oak	24
23	Reggie Bush	Mia	22
24	Darren Sproles	NO	23
25	Shonn Greene	NYJ	25
26	Ryan Mathews	SD	19
27	LeSean McCoy	Phi	16
28	Marcel Reece	Oak	27
29	Knowshon Moreno	Den	29
30	Vick Ballard	Ind	33
31	Jonathan Dwyer	Pit	39
32	Beanie Wells	Ari	26
33	Donald Brown	Ind	30
34	Shane Vereen	NE	34
35	Jacquizz Rodgers	Atl	36
36	Jonathan Stewart	Car	28
37	Michael Bush	Chi	37
38	Maurice Jones-Drew	Jac	32
39	Pierre Thomas	NO	46
40	James Starks	GB	44
41	Daniel Thomas	Mia	41
42	Felix Jones	Dal	35
43	LaRod Stephens-Howling	Ari	43
44	Rashard Mendenhall	Pit	40
45	Mark Ingram	NO	45
46	Ronnie Hillman	Den	38
47	Isaac Redman	Pit	49
48	Ben Tate	Hou	53
49	David Wilson	NYG	48
50	Bilal Powell	NYJ	50
51	Montell Owens	Jac	NR
52	Rashad Jennings	Jac	42
53	Daryl Richardson	StL	51
54	DeAngelo Williams	Car	54
55	Joique Bell	Det	55
56	Justin Forsett	Hou	58
57	Danny Woodhead	NE	56
58	Alex Green	GB	57
59	Bernard Pierce	Bal	NR
60	Cedric Peerman	Cin	59

The change in the top spot is certainly interesting, and as noted in the Four Downs blog, there's risk of Arian Foster joining Adrian Peterson on the sidelines in Week 17, if not sooner. But the big mover of the week is Philadelphia Eagles rookie Bryce Brown. OK, so he ran wild in his first start. Well, he also ran wild in his second start. Wanna bet against him running wild in his third start? One might wonder what Brown needs to do to crack the top 10, and here it is: First, we need more clarity on what will happen with LeSean McCoy. He's pretty good, too. If the Eagles shut down McCoy, that changes the Brown situation. Don't expect the Eagles to shut down McCoy, but don't expect him to play in Week 14, either. Second, Brown must do a better job holding on to the football. Even coaches on the way out the door like Andy Reid will stick with a butterfingers running back, even one scoring 26 or 27 fantasy points per week, for only so long. Brown hits No. 16, but he could easily be sixth or 26th a week from now. Regardless, he needs to be owned and started in every league this week.

Another NFC East running back crashes the top-20 party, but the Cowboys' DeMarco Murray isn't as much of a surprise, as he has been here before. While he's probably not 100 percent healthy, he did run well Sunday night against Brown's Eagles, and he wasn't sharing much time with Felix Jones. Murray was a top-10 running back in ESPN average live drafts, so one might wonder why he doesn't automatically retain this honor now that he's healthy. The answer: Murray is far from durable, so while we assume he starts Week 14 and does well, he has missed nearly half the season, so don't make assumptions about Week 15 or beyond.

Speaking of generously ranked running backs from draft day, those who own San Diego Chargers underachiever Ryan Mathews have probably had enough already. Enough of RB2 status, that's for sure. After compiling one seven- or eight-point performance after another most of the season, reaching double digits only in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, Mathews scored only 4 points Sunday, rushing nine times for 26 yards. He has scored one touchdown all season. Mathews is so talented, and maybe next year he'll put up big numbers. But for now he's out of the top 20, and can't be trusted.

As for a few of the positive surprises from Week 12, Knowshon Moreno wasn't great in Week 13, but the 24 touches, as opposed to a combined seven for Ronnie Hillman and Lance Ball, speak loudly. Moreno holds his top-30 spot. Beanie Wells does not, after rushing 15 times for 22 yards. Rashad Jennings got the start for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it didn't go well, and didn't last long. Montell Owens joins the rankings, but that doesn't mean you want him on your team. After all, he's not Bryce Brown.

[h=3]Top 60 Wide Receivers[/h]

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<center> Rank </center>	Player	<center> Team </center>	<center> Prev. </center>
1	Calvin Johnson	Det	2
2	A.J. Green	Cin	1
3	Brandon Marshall	Chi	3
4	Demaryius Thomas	Den	4
5	Andre Johnson	Hou	5
6	Dez Bryant	Dal	10
7	Roddy White	Atl	6
8	Victor Cruz	NYG	8
9	Julio Jones	Atl	7
10	Reggie Wayne	Ind	9
11	Vincent Jackson	TB	11
12	Wes Welker	NE	12
13	Marques Colston	NO	13
14	Hakeem Nicks	NYG	14
15	Randall Cobb	GB	15
16	Cecil Shorts	Jac	18
17	Danario Alexander	SD	23
18	Torrey Smith	Bal	19
19	Steve Smith	Car	25
20	Jordy Nelson	GB	17
21	Mike Wallace	Pit	22
22	Miles Austin	Dal	27
23	James Jones	GB	24
24	Lance Moore	NO	29
25	Denarius Moore	Oak	20
26	Steve Johnson	Buf	26
27	Greg Jennings	GB	51
28	Mike Williams	TB	31
29	T.Y. Hilton	Ind	32
30	Larry Fitzgerald	Ari	21
31	Golden Tate	Sea	57
32	Eric Decker	Den	16
33	Sidney Rice	Sea	37
34	Danny Amendola	StL	30
35	Percy Harvin	Min	28
36	Michael Crabtree	SF	36
37	Dwayne Bowe	KC	33
38	Malcom Floyd	SD	35
39	Justin Blackmon	Jac	34
40	Chris Givens	StL	46
41	Pierre Garcon	Wsh	48
42	Kenny Britt	Ten	42
43	Darrius Heyward-Bey	Oak	41
44	Brandon LaFell	Car	40
45	Jeremy Maclin	Phi	43
46	Antonio Brown	Pit	45
47	Brian Hartline	Mia	47
48	Andre Roberts	Ari	39
49	Brandon Lloyd	NE	38
50	Josh Gordon	Cle	53
51	Anquan Boldin	Bal	56
52	Jeremy Kerley	NYJ	49
53	Brandon Stokley	Den	50
54	Donnie Avery	Ind	NR
55	Kendall Wright	Ten	59
56	Davone Bess	Mia	54
57	Santana Moss	Wsh	58
58	Riley Cooper	Phi	NR
59	Mike Thomas	Det	NR
60	Rod Streater	Oak	NR

Well, why don't we just make it changes at the No. 1 spot in each of the three major fantasy positions for this week, shall we? Detroit Lions stud Calvin Johnson is unbelievable and on his way to perhaps breaking the all-time record for receiving yards in a season. So much for his early-season slump. Nothing against A.J. Green of the Bengals, but it's hard to compete with that. Brandon Marshall and Demaryius Thomas also produced like champs in Week 13, but Green, who has now gone consecutive games sans a touchdown after scoring in nine straight contests, drops only to No. 2. In general, the top 10 here didn't see many changes, though Dez Bryant of the Cowboys continues to force his way up and fantasy owners shouldn't be too concerned about their Falcons wide receivers doing little against the Saints.

The Chargers' Danario Alexander and the Panthers' Steve Smith each move into the top 20, though they've accomplished this in different ways. Alexander topped 100 yards in Week 13, and he's averaging 93 receiving yards per game in his five relevant contests. His teammate Malcom Floyd hasn't reached as many as 70 receiving yards since Week 5. With Cam Newton putting up big numbers, it was only a matter of time before Smith picked up his play, too, though don't be too impressed with his 120 yards Sunday, as nearly half came on a last-second Hail Mary pass. Still, Smith scored his second touchdown. There's tremendous wide receiver depth into the 40s and 50s, but really, there aren't 20 obvious choices for the top 20.

Among those dropping a bit in the WR2/high-flex range are the Packers' Jordy Nelson, the Broncos' Eric Decker and the Raiders' Denarius Moore. Nelson left Sunday's win over the Vikings after reinjuring his hamstring, and early reports suggest he's not likely to play this coming week. In other Packers news, Greg Jennings saw eight targets and moves back into the top 30, close to Nelson and James Jones, but Randall Cobb remains first on the team. Decker caught only two passes Sunday for the third time in four games, a disturbing trend that should worry his fantasy owners. Among those cruising past Decker are Golden Tate, who has 15 or more fantasy points in three of four games, Tampa Bay's Mike Williams and the Colts' T.Y. Hilton. Meanwhile, Moore was benched Sunday for performance reasons. He has four receptions in three weeks.

Deeper down, Donnie Avery, Riley Cooper, Mike Thomas and Rod Streater enter the rankings. Avery was one of Andrew Luck's faves until Hilton emerged, but he scored twice and totaled 91 yards Sunday, showing he wasn't truly out of the picture. Cooper scored for Philadelphia, and he'll be replacing DeSean Jackson, now out for the season. Detroit's Ryan Broyles is also done for the season after tearing a knee ligament, but you won't find the enticing name Titus Young replacing him. He's no longer enticing. It appears Mike Thomas, the former Jaguar, will see more targets from Matthew Stafford. As for Streater, his No. 60 ranking isn't great, but if Moore stays benched, Streater's Week 13 touchdown could be a harbinger of more to come.

[h=3]Top 30 Tight Ends[/h]

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<center> Rank </center>	Player	<center> Team </center>	<center> Prev. </center>
1	Jimmy Graham	NO	1
2	Jason Witten	Dal	2
3	Aaron Hernandez	NE	3
4	Tony Gonzalez	Atl	4
5	Jermaine Gresham	Cin	6
6	Owen Daniels	Hou	5
7	Kyle Rudolph	Min	7
8	Heath Miller	Pit	8
9	Brandon Myers	Oak	12
10	Greg Olsen	Car	13
11	Brandon Pettigrew	Det	11
12	Antonio Gates	SD	9
13	Vernon Davis	SF	10
14	Martellus Bennett	NYG	16
15	Jared Cook	Ten	14
16	Jacob Tamme	Den	20
17	Dustin Keller	NYJ	15
18	Dallas Clark	TB	25
19	Dennis Pitta	Bal	18
20	Scott Chandler	Buf	19
21	Brent Celek	Phi	24
22	Dwayne Allen	Ind	17
23	Jermichael Finley	GB	21
24	Rob Gronkowski	NE	22
25	Benjamin Watson	Cle	29
26	Rob Housler	Ari	23
27	Coby Fleener	Ind	NR
28	Marcedes Lewis	Jac	26
29	Tony Moeaki	KC	NR
30	Logan Paulsen	Wsh	30

It was tempting to switch the top spot at tight end as well, but for all the catches and yards the Cowboys' Jason Witten is producing -- he's on his way to setting a single-season receptions record -- he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 4. The Saints' Jimmy Graham has been surprisingly quiet the past few weeks, but he remains the best active option, capable of scoring in the teens each week. Really, the tight end position continues to flummox fantasy owners, with few reliable and consistent choices, and others, such as Vernon Davis and Antonio Gates, owned in a lot more leagues than their production warrants.

The Raiders' Brandon Myers is excelling, though; he saw 15 targets Sunday and caught 14 of them for 130 yards, though quite a few of the yards and his touchdown came on what was essentially an irrelevant final drive. Myers breaks back into the top 10, and he's joined by the Panthers' Greg Olsen, who caught only one pass Sunday, but it was for a 47-yard touchdown. Olsen has reached 40 receiving yards in each of his past five contests, which at this position counts for much. He's also tied with Witten for eighth overall in season scoring for tight ends.

The Broncos' Jacob Tamme saw 13 targets Sunday, catching nine of them for 89 yards, both season highs. Tamme has been relevant in recent weeks, and the Broncos face the lowly Raiders in Week 13. Also moving up this week are Dallas Clark, Brent Celek and Benjamin Watson. Clark doesn't catch many passes, but he has scored touchdowns in three of four games. Celek had his second-best game of the season Sunday night in Dallas, as rookie Nick Foles looked his way eight times. Watson was able to exploit the Raiders for 80 yards Sunday, and next faces the Chiefs, not exactly a defensive juggernaut. Each of these players is a reasonable option in deeper formats, as fantasy owners covet those playing well.

[h=3]Top 32 Defense/Special Teams[/h]

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<center> Rank </center>	Player	<center> Prev. </center>	<center> Rank </center>	Player	<center> Prev. </center>
1	Chicago Bears	1	17	Cincinnati Bengals	17
2	San Francisco 49ers	2	18	Detroit Lions	18
3	Denver Broncos	5	19	San Diego Chargers	19
4	Seattle Seahawks	3	20	Cleveland Browns	20
5	Pittsburgh Steelers	4	21	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	21
6	Houston Texans	6	22	Washington Redskins	22
7	New England Patriots	12	23	Dallas Cowboys	23
8	Arizona Cardinals	7	24	Carolina Panthers	24
9	Atlanta Falcons	10	25	New Orleans Saints	25
10	New York Giants	11	26	Indianapolis Colts	26
11	Green Bay Packers	8	27	Kansas City Chiefs	29
12	Minnesota Vikings	9	28	Buffalo Bills	27
13	St. Louis Rams	16	29	Tennessee Titans	28
14	Miami Dolphins	13	30	Philadelphia Eagles	30
15	New York Jets	14	31	Jacksonville Jaguars	31
16	Baltimore Ravens	15	32	Oakland Raiders	32

[h=3]Top 100 Overall[/h]

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<center> Ovr. Rank </center>	Player	<center> Team </center>	<center> Pos. Rank </center>	<center> Next 3 Weeks </center>	<center> Prev. Rank </center>
1	Adrian Peterson	Min	RB1	Chi, @StL, @Hou	2
2	Arian Foster	Hou	RB2	@NE, Ind, Min	1
3	Marshawn Lynch	Sea	RB3	Ari, @Buf, SF	3
4	Ray Rice	Bal	RB4	@Wsh, Den, NYG	5
5	Calvin Johnson	Det	WR1	@GB, @Ari, Atl	9
6	Doug Martin	TB	RB5	Phi, @NO, StL	4
7	Trent Richardson	Cle	RB6	KC, Wsh, @Den	6
8	A.J. Green	Cin	WR2	Dal, @Phi, @Pit	7
9	Alfred Morris	Wsh	RB7	Bal, @Cle, @Phi	11
10	Frank Gore	SF	RB8	Mia, @NE, @Sea	8
11	Brandon Marshall	Chi	WR3	@Min, GB, @Ari	12
12	Demaryius Thomas	Den	WR4	@Oak, @Bal, Cle	13
13	Chris Johnson	Ten	RB9	@Ind, NYJ, @GB	10
14	Peyton Manning	Den	QB1	@Oak, @Bal, Cle	19
15	Stevan Ridley	NE	RB10	Hou, SF, @Jac	14
16	Tom Brady	NE	QB2	Hou, SF, @Jac	17
17	Andre Johnson	Hou	WR5	@NE, Ind, Min	15
18	Drew Brees	NO	QB3	@NYG, TB, @Dal	16
19	Robert Griffin III	Wsh	QB4	Bal, @Cle, @Phi	30
20	Aaron Rodgers	GB	QB5	Det, @Chi, Ten	18
21	C.J. Spiller	Buf	RB11	StL, Sea, @Mia	20
22	Dez Bryant	Dal	WR6	@Cin, Pit, NO	32
23	Ahmad Bradshaw	NYG	RB12	NO, @Atl, @Bal	22
24	Jamaal Charles	KC	RB13	@Cle, @Oak, Ind	23
25	Andrew Luck	Ind	QB6	Ten, @Hou, @KC	31
26	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	Cin	RB14	Dal, @Phi, @Pit	24
27	Cam Newton	Car	QB7	Atl, @SD, Oak	43
28	Roddy White	Atl	WR7	@Car, NYG, @Det	21
29	Victor Cruz	NYG	WR8	NO, @Atl, @Bal	26
30	Julio Jones	Atl	WR9	@Car, NYG, @Det	25
31	Jimmy Graham	NO	TE1	@NYG, TB, @Dal	28
32	Matthew Stafford	Det	QB8	@GB, @Ari, Atl	38
33	Steven Jackson	StL	RB15	@Buf, Min, @TB	29
34	Reggie Wayne	Ind	WR10	Ten, @Hou, @KC	27
35	Matt Ryan	Atl	QB9	@Car, NYG, @Det	35
36	Vincent Jackson	TB	WR11	Phi, @NO, StL	33
37	Jason Witten	Dal	TE2	@Cin, Pit, NO	34
38	Wes Welker	NE	WR12	Hou, SF, @Jac	36
39	Marques Colston	NO	WR13	@NYG, TB, @Dal	37
40	Tony Romo	Dal	QB10	@Cin, Pit, NO	58
41	Bryce Brown	Phi	RB16	@TB, Cin, Wsh	81
42	Aaron Hernandez	NE	TE3	Hou, SF, @Jac	40
43	Tony Gonzalez	Atl	TE4	@Car, NYG, @Det	41
44	Josh Freeman	TB	QB11	Phi, @NO, StL	42
45	Mikel Leshoure	Det	RB17	@GB, @Ari, Atl	47
46	Eli Manning	NYG	QB12	NO, @Atl, @Bal	57
47	Hakeem Nicks	NYG	WR14	NO, @Atl, @Bal	45
48	Randall Cobb	GB	WR15	Det, @Chi, Ten	46
49	Matt Forte	Chi	RB18	@Min, GB, @Ari	44
50	DeMarco Murray	Dal	RB19	@Cin, Pit, NO	NR
51	Cecil Shorts	Jac	WR16	NYJ, @Mia, NE	54
52	Michael Turner	Atl	RB20	@Car, NYG, @Det	50
53	Danario Alexander	SD	WR17	@Pit, Car, @NYJ	64
54	Fred Jackson	Buf	RB21	StL, Sea, @Mia	52
55	Darren McFadden	Oak	RB22	Den, KC, @Car	59
56	Torrey Smith	Bal	WR18	@Wsh, Den, NYG	56
57	Reggie Bush	Mia	RB23	@SF, Jac, Buf	53
58	Steve Smith	Car	WR19	Atl, @SD, Oak	72
59	Darren Sproles	NO	RB24	@NYG, TB, @Dal	55
60	Jordy Nelson	GB	WR20	Det, @Chi, Ten	51
61	Mike Wallace	Pit	WR21	SD, @Dal, Cin	63
62	Shonn Greene	NYJ	RB25	@Jac, @Ten, SD	62
63	Miles Austin	Dal	WR22	@Cin, Pit, NO	76
64	James Jones	GB	WR23	Det, @Chi, Ten	68
65	Carson Palmer	Oak	QB13	Den, KC, @Car	65
66	Ryan Mathews	SD	RB26	@Pit, Car, @NYJ	48
67	Andy Dalton	Cin	QB14	Dal, @Phi, @Pit	67
68	Lance Moore	NO	WR24	@NYG, TB, @Dal	85
69	LeSean McCoy	Phi	RB27	@TB, Cin, Wsh	39
70	Jermaine Gresham	Cin	TE5	Dal, @Phi, @Pit	74
71	Marcel Reece	Oak	RB28	Den, KC, @Car	69
72	Denarius Moore	Oak	WR25	Den, KC, @Car	60
73	Steve Johnson	Buf	WR26	StL, Sea, @Mia	73
74	Owen Daniels	Hou	TE6	@NE, Ind, Min	70
75	Russell Wilson	Sea	QB15	Ari, @Buf, SF	NR
76	Greg Jennings	GB	WR27	Det, @Chi, Ten	NR
77	Knowshon Moreno	Den	RB29	@Oak, @Bal, Cle	77
78	Kyle Rudolph	Min	TE7	Chi, @StL, @Hou	78
79	Vick Ballard	Ind	RB30	Ten, @Hou, @KC	91
80	Mike Williams	TB	WR28	Phi, @NO, StL	88
81	Jonathan Dwyer	Pit	RB31	SD, @Dal, Cin	NR
82	Beanie Wells	Ari	RB32	@Sea, Det, Chi	66
83	Chicago Bears	Chi	D1	@Min, GB, @Ari	83
84	Heath Miller	Pit	TE8	SD, @Dal, Cin	84
85	T.Y. Hilton	Ind	WR29	Ten, @Hou, @KC	90
86	Larry Fitzgerald	Ari	WR30	@Sea, Det, Chi	61
87	Brandon Myers	Oak	TE9	Den, KC, @Car	NR
88	Golden Tate	Sea	WR31	Ari, @Buf, SF	NR
89	Jacquizz Rodgers	Atl	RB35	@Car, NYG, @Det	94
90	Eric Decker	Den	WR32	@Oak, @Bal, Cle	49
91	Donald Brown	Ind	RB33	Ten, @Hou, @KC	79
92	Sidney Rice	Sea	WR33	Ari, @Buf, SF	NR
93	Shane Vereen	NE	RB34	Hou, SF, @Jac	93
94	Jonathan Stewart	Car	RB36	Atl, @SD, Oak	71
95	Greg Olsen	Car	TE10	Atl, @SD, Oak	NR
96	Danny Amendola	StL	WR34	@Buf, Min, @TB	86
97	Michael Bush	Chi	RB37	@Min, GB, @Ari	97
98	Percy Harvin	Min	WR35	Chi, @StL, @Hou	80
99	Maurice Jones-Drew	Jac	RB38	NYJ, @Mia, NE	82
100	Colin Kaepernick	SF	QB16	Mia, @NE, @Sea	NR

HacheMan · Dec 4, 2012

Missed the fantasy playoffs? Blame these guys

December 4. 2012 - Fantasy playoffs in most leagues begin in Week 14, which means there is no next week for those owners whose teams just weren't good enough to advance.One player never decides which teams make the playoffs, but using a high draft pick on a guy who ends up being a bust certainly does not help matters. If your fantasy season came to an end last week, there is a good chance one (or more) of these players contributed to your demise.
UNLUCKY WEEK 13: Top fantasy stars slumping down stretch
RB Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers: Thanks to a lot of preseason hype, Mathews rose to the No. 5 overall pick in some fantasy drafts. He then rewarded owners with the epitome of an average season. Mathews is often taken out of the game and is only scoring 12.6 fantasy points per week. That is three points more than Detroit Lions' second-string running back Joique Bell. In three seasons Mathews has almost as many fumbles (12) as he does touchdowns (14). Remember that next summer when he is getting hyped up again as an elite running back.
WR Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers: Jennings missed most of the season with a groin injury before deciding to have surgery. He returned against Minnesota in Week 13, but for owners who selected him with a top-40 pick, Jennings' comeback was too little too late. While he has only played four games, Randall Cobb has emerged and led many owners to the fantasy playoffs.
WR Brandon Lloyd, New England Patriots: Apparently the comparisons between Lloyd and the Patriots' signing of Randy Moss in 2007 were just a bit too opimistic. After Lloyd's one-catch dud on Sunday he has now failed to score double-digit fantasy points in five of his last six games. Lloyd has also not reached 20 fantasy points once all year. His disappointing season has not hurt the Patriots' offense, but it has killed fantasy owners who used a high draft pick on him.
RB Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders: By now owners just can't expect McFadden to play 16 games, so his ankle injury can't come as a surprise. However, McFadden's lack of production when he did play was unexpected. McFadden failed to reach 10 fantasy points in three of eight games and topped 20 fantasy points once all year; way back in Week 1. Some pointed to Oakland's poor offensive line for McFadden's struggles but the fact is Marcel Reece has been more productive behind the same line. McFadden has to take some of the blame.

HacheMan · Dec 4, 2012

Injury updates: Shorts, Nelson, McFadden

Stephania Bell

Week 13 is in the books! Unfortunately, so is the season of another promising young player who succumbed to injury. The Detroit Lions seemed to have unleashed another talented wide receiver in Ryan Broyles (who many a fantasy owner added to the roster when Titus Young was, ahem, demoted). After notching over 100 yards receiving in Week 12, Broyles didn't get through the first quarter of Sunday's game before suffering a knee injury. Sadly Broyles, who tore his left ACL in November 2011 while at Oklahoma, tore his right ACL and will now relive the surgery and lengthy rehab process. On the bright side, he knows what to expect and has proven he can return to an elite level of play. In the meantime, Mike Thomas becomes the next in line to fill in at wide receiver for the Lions.

Up in Boston, it appears the New England Patriots will have to do without the services of wide receiver Julian Edelman. Edelman injured his foot in Sunday's game and ESPN Boston cites a report from WBZ-TV saying Edelman's foot is broken, which will require surgery. This is unfortunate for the Patriots and unfortunate for fantasy owners who benefited from Edelman's production in recent weeks.

On the other side of the ball, the Chicago Tribune reports Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss the next three games and potentially the remainder of the regular season after suffering a Grade 2 (moderate) right hamstring strain late in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Urlacher entered the season with questions about his left knee after spraining his MCL and PCL late last season but has managed to play every game until now.

HacheMan · Dec 5, 2012

How will Big Ben's return impact Steelers?

Eric Karabell
ESPN INSIDER

While all the talk at Pittsburgh Steelers practice this week centers around injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the thing is, Big Ben really isn't a great fantasy option even if he does suit up for Week 14. That assertion is backed up by the group rankings. After all, Roethlisberger hasn't played in a month, and while many blame the Mike Wallace/Antonio Brown production problems on Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich, the team's passing game wasn't exactly shining even before Roethlisberger suffered his rib injury.

<offer>The Steelers' running game, on the other hand, piques my interest more, because while Roethlisberger's status likely will remain problematic into the weekend, we know who is starting at running back. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has already announced that Jonathan Dwyer will handle the rushing load against the San Diego Chargers, a team in disarray. Dwyer has had moments of productivity this season, though not consistently. He topped 100 rushing yards in Weeks 7 and 8, and last week in Baltimore he scored his first touchdown on a stellar 16-yard run. I get the feeling the best could be yet to come.

</offer>
Dwyer shows up in my rankings at No. 19, the highest rank of the group, because let's face it, there aren't a ton of safe, reliable running backs for this week. Also, I simply like Dwyer. Rashard Mendenhall isn't totally out of the picture, though he didn't dress last week and Tomlin claims he'll get another chance at some point. But it won't be in Week 14. Isaac Redman has backup written all over him. Frankly, I think Roethlisberger will play, but will be far from 100 percent, and the Steelers will really lean on the running game. By the way, the Chargers have been skewered on the ground the past three weeks, allowing 133, 131 and 123 rushing yards, respectively, and it wasn't Adrian Peterson or Arian Foster doing that damage, either. I ranked Roethlisberger in nearly the same spot at quarterback as I did Dwyer at his position, but most people can use only one quarterback and perhaps as many as three running backs. To me, Dwyer is definitely worth using and is a bit underrated.

Quarterback: Look at the matchups. Josh Freeman and Eli Manning get to face the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints, respectively, the two easiest defenses for opposing quarterbacks to accrue fantasy points against. The Eagles have permitted an astounding 94 fantasy points to quarterbacks over the past three weeks. Freeman is going off. And Manning is fine, too. I have both over Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck. … I'm easily highest on Russell Wilson. With five consecutive games of 15 or more fantasy points, including one at Soldier Field in Chicago, he's matchup-proof, in my mind. I'm lowest on Colin Kaepernick, though at No. 14 I still like him. Wilson was last intercepted in October. He can be trusted. If Kaepernick makes more foolish mistakes like he did in Week 13, he could be pulled.

Running back: We know LeSean McCoy is not playing this week, so I think it's justifiable to place Bryce Brown in the top 10. He does have 53 fantasy points in two weeks, after all. … My issue with Matt Forte, and my reasoning for him being only No. 21, is this: He has been awfully average for a month, failing to exceed 3.1 yards per carry in any game, probably because he's hurting, and when the Bears get up early Sunday, we'll see more of Michael Bush. … My issue with Stevan Ridley, and why he's barely a RB2 for me this week, is all about the matchup against the Houston Texans. Similarly, the Patriots stop the run, so Arian Foster was not in my top 3. Rookies Doug Martin and Trent Richardson are simply better plays. … If Darren McFadden can prove he's healthy Thursday, I'll trust him more in Week 15. I'm not convinced at the moment, plus it's easy to project the Raiders getting obliterated and Carson Palmer throwing the ball 50 times. … Drop James Starks. He's done. But he wasn't in my top 30 anyway. Neither is Alex Green. Don't use Ryan Grant, again a Packer, this week. … Montell Owens might get all the Jacksonville Jaguars love, but when he turns those 16 carries into 52 yards, you won't be pleased. A better sleeper choice is Vick Ballard.

Wide receiver: A month ago, it would have been unimaginable to see the likes of T.Y. Hilton, Danario Alexander or even Pierre Garcon in the top 20 at this position, or close to it. Go with the hot hands in December, not underachieving big names like Mike Wallace or Larry Fitzgerald. … Is it possible we all took the lack of Eric Decker production too far in his No. 27 staff ranking? Perhaps. But I like 31 other wide receivers more. … Yeah, I think Greg Jennings is relevant again, and Jordy Nelson will likely sit. Randall Cobb was my top Packers wide receiver, regardless of who else Aaron Rodgers is throwing to. … Deeper-league guys to watch include Chris Givens against the Bills, Jeremy Kerley against the Jaguars and Golden Tate, who has three 15-point fantasy games over the past month, against Arizona.

jesse1111 · Dec 6, 2012

Appreciate the effort again this year Hache.

HacheMan · Dec 6, 2012

It comes in stages

Matthew Berry | ESPN.com

I recently got mentioned in a tweet that read something like this: "If @MatthewBerryTMR doesn't win every league he's in he should be fired. #Fact."

That's insane, of course, but I'm not going to lie. I feel that pressure. I put it on myself. I mentioned I'm doing an eight-team family league with my kids, their friends and their parents. I co-own a team with the 12-year-old. One week this season we just got crushed. Sunday night, we're looking at the scores and as he sees we have no one left, he says to me, "We're not gonna win?" "Hey, it happens, kid," I tell him. "Our guys didn't show up. They had some huge games. We'll be OK."

"Ugh. I can't believe I'm gonna lose with you as my partner."

Sigh. I even feel pressure in this league. It's an eight-team league, every team is stacked, I only pay attention to it when I'm talking about it with my kid, and now I realize ... crap, I gotta win this league, too, or I'll look like a failure to my kid.

We're in second as the playoffs start. Fingers crossed.

I've talked about the 16-team "War Room League" comprised of all the ESPN NFL analysts and our most senior NFL producers. Last week, I needed to be beat Mark Schlereth to clinch a playoff spot. I've been sweating this league all year. I was a nervous wreck all Sunday, as Stink's Calvin Johnson/Demaryius Thomas combo was crushing in our PPR format. Luckily, Brandon Myers, bless his junk-time soul, Matt Forte and my Jets D pick-up allowed me to squeak by on RG3's Monday night performance. I'm the No. 2 seed and have a bye this week. But I didn't celebrate when I had secured victory. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I always feel pressure.

Among my leagues is the "Emotional Friends" league, comprised of nine guys who work on SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show" and myself. If you've read me for any amount of time, you know that I am a longtime Stern fanatic, and a few years ago, after I did an event with Gary "Baba Booey" Dell'Abate, I became friends with him, ended up meeting a lot of the guys on the show, and then, two years ago, I was invited into the league. And because (A) the show has an audience of more than 20 million and (B) the guys in the league often appear on the show ... I really want to do well in this league. The last thing I need is hearing on that show, "Oh yeah, the ESPN guy is in it. But he lost."

Despite losing first-round pick Jamaal Charles in Week 2 last year, I still managed to make the finals and finish second last year, where I was one of many to fall victim to Drew Brees' crazy Saints-Falcons game, when they kept pouring it on to get Brees the Marino record. Not much you can do about that. So I was safe after Year 1. But this year, the league was ready. Half the league had my rankings in front of them when I came in to draft. They had all read Love/Hate. They knew which way I wanted to go before I did. Which is fine. Comes with the gig and I'm used to drafting like that. And I left with a team I felt very good about.

Now, in four weeks, I will complete my 20th year of playing fantasy football. Over these two decades, I have lost count of how many fantasy football leagues I have played in, but it is well into the hundreds. I thought I had seen everything.

I thought wrong.

I had at least one player leave the game early due to injury in every week of the season! Everyone deals with injuries, of course, but there's no more frustrating injury than the one in the first half of the game. You can't replace him, he's just a very low score sitting on your bench. It's excruciating, just watching the game as your guy heads to the locker room and the sideline reporter tells you his "return is questionable."

Questionable? They never come back. Where's the question?

Rashad Jennings in Week 1 started it off and then Forte, Aaron Hernandez, Hakeem Nicks (this league has an early waiver period and if a guy is ruled out after waivers, like Nicks was, you can't replace him), Cedric Benson, Rashard Mendenhall, Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Davis, Aaron Hernandez again (the late scratch in London), Percy Harvin, Jordy Nelson, Forte again ... it was a brutal year. Forget just general injuries; players such as MJD, Hernandez and Harvin missing significant time, and even Ben Roethlisberger's injury, which killed Mike Wallace (whom I dealt Nicks for, midseason) -- these were weekly in-game crushers.

But somehow, with a few trades and lots of waiver pickups, I was able to cobble something together every week. While it was not my year, I was in the playoffs heading into Week 13. The Stern league has a fun rule in which you get two wins (or losses) a week: your head-to-head matchup, and then the top five scoring teams, regardless of matchup, also get a win. All I needed was a split and I'm in. Great. Whew.

My basic take is talent gets you to the playoffs, talent plus luck gets you the title. Anything can happen in one week, so as long as I make the postseason, I am fine.

As Week 13 began to unfold, and with apologies to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, I experienced the Five Stages of Fantasy Grief.

Stage 1: Denial. Banged-up heading into the week, I knew I needed to start hot. And so I sat down to watch the Thursday night game -- and promptly saw Drew Brees have the worst fantasy game of his Saints career. This is a league with six points per touchdown pass, so QBs are important. But as I stared at his three measly points, I refused to believe I was in trouble. My opponent had Matt Ryan. He did better, but not a ton better. I can still do this. I'll be OK. Three points from Drew Brees? Whatever.

But then the Sunday games start. And my expected studs are doing good, but not great. They're not racking up the stats at the pace I need to overcome Brees' poor start. It all leads to ...

Stage 2: Anger. Come on, Jets defense! Just two sacks? Just one turnover? Against the Cards? What the hell? And then ... oh no. What the ...? Jordy Nelson leaves with an injury. No! He's hobbling off the field. And wait ... what? Ryan Broyles, who I am also starting, just left? He has a serious injury and is done for the day? What?!!? You can not be serious. Another in-game injury? And then another? Every week it's one, and now, in Week 13, it's two? What the HELL!?! ARGHHH! This is ridiculous, I say, as I slam the table with my fist. Come on, man!

As the 1 p.m. games continue on, and I realize my hole is getting deeper and deeper, I get to ...

Stage 3: Bargaining. "OK," I plead to the fantasy gods. "I don't need both. Just let one guy come back for the second half, how about that? I'm not greedy. And I have Jonathan Dwyer and Marcel Reece going in the later games. I'm playing against them in other leagues, but I don't care. Please, let them go off. I'll lose those other games. I'll be OK. Look, I'm trying to work with you here. And I have both Lawrence Tynes and Pierre Garcon going Monday night. Give me a huge game from Garcon and Tynes can miss everything. I'll take a split. Just give me this ... please?"

As the next slate of games start and I'm further and further in the hole, reality starts to set in. And I fall int0 ...

Stage 4: Depression. It's all so bleak. No, Garcon and Tynes are not going to have the games of their lives on Monday night. They'll probably both get injured. On the same play. The first one. I think back to all the missed opportunities. If only this guy hadn't gotten hurt. If only I played against this team instead of that team. What about the week I was the second-highest scorer in the league but lost by two points to the highest-scoring team? Darkness surrounds me. If only the schedule had been different, I would be in the playoffs. I watch the Sunday night game with sadness. It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters. It's all so meaningless. Why are we even here? What's it all mean? Who even cares?

I go to bed with a heavy heart. And when I awake, I am in ...

Stage 5: Acceptance: I am going to lose. I have run out of time. I am powerless to stop it. I will not beat my opponent. I will not squeak into the top five scorers. Thanks to an early-season tie, I will finish half a game out of the playoffs. I have lost. I do this for a living. And I will not make the playoffs. I'll survive. It is what it is.

Because I'm human. I can't tell the future. I watch the games, I study stats, trends and matchups, I talk to everyone I can that has some inside info or insight into foggy situations, I consider injuries and likely game play and then ... I guess. It's a highly informed, educated guess ... but it's a guess. And sometimes, it's a wrong guess. I'm sure if I looked in the fantasy "expert" handbook I'm not supposed to admit that publicly or anything. I'm sure I am only supposed to talk about all the leagues I crush and my amazing picks and why I rule, but I never read that handbook and I'm not about to start now. (Guessing it also says not to writing long intros all about yourself, too, but that ship sailed a long time ago.)

It's actually been a pretty good year.

Except in the Stern Show league.

Where I lost.

As you head into the fantasy playoffs, my advice is to go safe. My friend Brian emailed me yesterday and said, "I see you have Stevan Ridley one spot ahead of Knowshon Moreno, but I'm worried the Patriot game will be one of those crazy Danny Woodhead games. Should I go Moreno?"

And what I told him is what I will tell you. I think Moreno has a good game. It's a great matchup. I get why you'd think that. And it's your team; you should do what you want. But it's the playoffs. I'd rather lose with Ridley, who has been doing it all year, than lose with a guy who was on the practice squad most of the year. If you play Ridley and he fails, you'll be like, "Eh, he was my stud, what are you gonna do? Wouldn't have been here without him." But if you bench him and play Moreno and Moreno tanks (but Ridley goes off) ... you'll jump right to Stage 4. When in doubt, play your studs and don't get cute.

This week's Love/Hate reflects that. Play the obvious guys. Remember my preseason mantra: What's most likely to happen? It won't always work out, but it's the most likely result. They are obvious for a reason.

Remember, ESPN standard leagues have two-week playoffs, so look toward Week 15 for good matchup defenses and other potential pickups. If you have the roster space, no need to wait. And finally, remember what I've said before above all else: I really, really want you to win. But not as bad as you do. It's your team, you have to live with it ... go with your gut feeling above everyone else's, including mine. Use this article and especially my rankings as a guideline, but if you lose, only one of us has to live with it all offseason. Make your own choices.

A shout-out to John Parolin and the gang at ESPN Stats and Information, and away we go.

[h=3]Quarterbacks I love in Week 14[/h]
Drew Brees, Saints: Putting him here because I've gotten feedback from some people who are nervous after last week. Just stop. He's Drew Brees. And hey, if you survived last week with him as your guy, you'll survive anything.

Cam Newton, Panthers: When I mentioned recently that I would rank RG3 No. 5 among quarterbacks for 2013 if I were drafting today, I got a lot of people saying, "He'll have a sophomore slump like Cam." Forgetting that RG3 is currently the No. 1 QB in fantasy -- so No. 5 has some regression built-in -- my reaction was, "Uh, you guys realize Cam is the No. 6 scorer in fantasy, right?" Apparently not. Definitely been a little inconsistent, but red-hot the past two weeks and he scored 30 the last time he faced Atlanta. Yes, the Falcons picked off Brees five times and have had extra time to prep for this game, but I don't care. Newton has just two turnovers the past five weeks and at least 37 yards rushing in eight of his past nine.

Andrew Luck, Colts: You don't need a Stanford degree to know you start Luck in a dome (307 yards per game) against Tennessee (eighth-most fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks). You also don't need a Stanford degree to realize when I see an obvious joke, I'm taking it. Hey, it's the playoffs, isn't it nice to have something to count on?

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers: I know, he didn't help last week. But like Brees, I am back in. Consider this: He has three passing touchdowns and no interceptions outside the pocket, plus two rushing touchdowns outside the tackles in the past four weeks. Miami's defense has allowed a 78.9 Total QBR when quarterbacks leave the pocket this season, which is second-worst in the league.

Josh Freeman, Buccaneers: "Hello! Over here, please. Yes, in front. Thank you! Hello, Eagles defense! Welcome to Colonial Williamsburg! Your sightseeing vacation today will take you all through Revolutionary City, where you'll meet residents living in this tumultuous period of our nation's history!"

If you're desperate: Russell Wilson has quietly been on fire lately, with 15 points in five straight and in six of his past seven. I expect Sunday to make it six in a row. ... I could easily see Jake Locker having some very solid junk-time stats against the Colts. ... You know how I said the Dolphins were bad defending outside the pocket? Well, the Vikings are even worse, allowing the most attempts (63) and completions (36) outside the pocket this season. Did you know Jay Cutler has a 92.6 Total QBR outside the pocket, the best of any quarterback in the league? Me either.

[h=3]Quarterbacks I hate in Week 14[/h]Eli Manning, Giants: I know everyone is salivating at the thought of the Saints, and I am sure he'll be solid. But New Orleans did play Atlanta tough, and how much upside is there, really? Eli has just one 20-point game in his past seven and more than two touchdowns only three times all year. Solid? Sure. Monster game? Hard to see, given how much I expect them to run to try to control the clock the way they did against Washington. I have him outside my top 10.

Tony Romo, Cowboys: Another guy just outside my top 10 this week. He'll be fine, but listing him because the Bengals are locked in right now, giving up single-digit fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in each of the past four weeks. They get good pressure on the quarterback, and in their past three, the Bengals have allowed just 5.5 yards per attempt, best in the NFL.

Philip Rivers, Chargers: Ha! Just kidding. If you're starting Philip Rivers at this point, you're not in the playoffs.

[h=3]Running backs I love in Week 14[/h]
Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: The Chiefs are 2-1 when Charles has at least 25 rushes, and 0-9 when he does not. Kansas City's offense is one of six to average more than 3.0 yards before contact per rush this season. And the Browns' defense has allowed 2.7 yards before contact per rush this season, 20th in the NFL. Let's hope Romeo reads Love/Hate.

Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants: See Brees, Drew. The only running back they trust, he has a score in three of his past four at home, they will want to run to keep Brees on the sideline and no team in the NFL is worse against the run than the Saints.

Chris Johnson, Titans: Averages 103.3 scrimmage yards per game against the Colts and had 99 rushing yards in the last game. Don't worry about last week. Only two teams have allowed more rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs than the Indianapolis Colts.

Knowshon Moreno, Broncos: I know what I wrote above. I stand by it. But injuries being what they are, you may not have a "stud or Moreno" choice like Brian did. And anyone getting a majority of carries against Oakland has a legit shot at fantasy goodness.

If you're desperate: Every time I watch Jonathan Dwyer play, I come away liking him more and more. With Big Ben expected back for Pittsburgh, the offense becomes multidimensional again, and despite the Chargers' success against the run this year, this is a cold-weather game for them, on the road, in December, in a lost season. ... With Donald Brown ruled out, Vick Ballard will get the majority of work for Indy against the Titans and I don't expect the Colts to be in catchup mode in this one. A more balanced attack with work from Ballard seems likely. ... Last time Green Bay played Detroit, the Pack ran it 29 times. The Packers need to run to help the pass game, so I expect a similar workload, and Alex Green will get the majority of that work against the 19th-ranked run defense.

[h=3]Running backs I hate in Week 14

DeMarco Murray, Cowboys: I have him just inside my top 20, so that's a low-end starter, so you probably don't have better options. But I'm not convinced he has as much success as he did last week. Yes, he got a lot of work. But look closer. Just 13 rush yards after contact gained, his lowest mark of the season despite a season high in rushes (23). The Bengals are 11th against the run and have allowed just 2.3 yards before contact per rush over the past three weeks, which is 13th in the league. Like I said, he'll be OK, but not expecting greatness.

Ryan Mathews, Chargers: This is me, standing up, applauding you if you managed to make the playoffs with Ryan Mathews on your team. And if you made the playoffs with Ryan Mathews on your roster, you did it by not starting him. So you're certainly not starting him now, on the road in Pittsburgh. And for those of who rode him right out of the playoffs? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Serves you right. I tried to warn you. And now, you too have been Norved!

Darren McFadden, Raiders: Marcel Reece will still be involved, we are not sure how much work McFadden will get, and people forget that before the injury, Run DMC was struggling (just 3.3 yards per carry). Going against Denver's seventh-ranked run defense in a game I expect the Raiders to be down in? No thanks.

Reggie Bush, Dolphins: Six points or less in three of his past four, and he's on the road at San Francisco. Come on. What has your team ever done to you?

Beanie Wells, Cardinals: Prior to last week, everyone yelled at me for having Beanie so low, coming off his two-touchdown game and with a seemingly good matchup with the Jets. And I said ... still a bad offensive line, you can't count on the touchdowns and, you know, he's Beanie Wells. After 15 carries for 22 yards, I haven't heard as much complaining. He's on the road at Seattle. John Skelton helps the offense some, but seriously, you can't possibly be this desperate.
[/h][h=3]Wide receivers I love in Week 14[/h][h=3]
Randall Cobb, Packers: I know, he's been quiet the past two weeks, but I expect a shootout in this game, and Cobb, who made nine catches for 74 yards and a score the last time he faced Detroit, will be a big part of that. Cobb such a big-play threat, the Lions are top 10 in yards after catch allowed and no team has given up more touchdown passes of 20-plus yards.

Mike Williams, Buccaneers: "Do I have a volunteer from the crowd? How about you, Mr. Asomugha? There you go, let's give him a round of applause, folks. Now, this is how you churn butter ..."

Eric Decker, Broncos: Gut call. I say I believe more in the great matchup with Oakland and in the talent of both Decker and Peyton Manning than I do in the recent cold streak. I have Decker as a top-20 play this week.

Pierre Garcon, Redskins: With the Ravens continuing to be banged-up on defense and getting gashed on the ground (they give up 126 rushing yards a game), play-action will be really effective here and RG3 only has eyes for Mr. Garcon (17 targets the past two games). All he needs is one big play, and with the Redskins' defense, this isn't going to be a low-scoring game.

T.Y. Hilton, Colts: With double-digit points in four of his past five, Hilton is a big part of Luck's success. Over the past three weeks, when Luck targets Hilton, he completes 62.5 percent and averages 9.7 yards per attempt. When he goes to Reggie Wayne? Just a 51.4 completion percentage and 6.1 yards per attempt. In a game in which you know I like Luck, Hilton is the big-play guy with a great matchup.

If you're desperate: Of the 63 wide receivers who have an average target depth of at least 10 yards downfield, only Brandon Stokley has caught a higher percentage of his targets than Danario Alexander. With Ike Taylor out for the Steelers, Alexander should be solid. ... Like Russell Wilson, Sidney Rice gets no love, but six scores in his past seven games, he should keep it going against Arizona. ... And in the past three weeks, Josh Gordon has caught 15 of 20 targets (75.0 percent) with 229 yards and no dropped passes. Only the Cowboys and 49ers have allowed more completions of at least 30 yards downfield than the Chiefs.
[/h][h=3]Wide receivers I hate in Week 14

Steve Smith, Panthers: Just three catches for 52 yards the last time he faced Atlanta, he'd been ice cold for the three weeks before the game last week against the Chiefs. They have not been able to consistently get him the ball and I have no confidence they'll be able to do so against a Falcons team that just shut down New Orleans and allows the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts.

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Here's what's sad. This isn't even a controversial call anymore. Skelton helps, as does the Brandon Browner suspension, but not nearly enough for me to risk starting a guy who has a total of six points in his past three games and five or less in five of the past six. Did you know that Fitzy has the most end zone targets without a catch of any player in the league this season? Not a category you want to lead the league in.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs: Postgame news conference league? I'm totally starting Brady Quinn. But when my guy has him as a quarterback on the road at Cleveland with Joe Haden all over him? Looking elsewhere.

Denarious Moore, Raiders: Ice cold, and insert wide receiver facing Champ Bailey here.
[/h][h=3]Tight ends I love in Week 14[/h][h=3]
Brandon Myers, Raiders: Not only the apple of my eye these days, but a red-hot tight end that is somehow still available in 70 percent of leagues. Four scores in his past five games, I expect Oakland to be in catchup mode and Bailey all over Moore. No team allows more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than the Denver Broncos.

Brandon Pettigrew, Lions: Scored last week after an eight-catch, 74-yard game the week before. Pettigrew should see even more of an increase with Ryan Broyles out and lots of defensive attention on Calvin Johnson.

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings: Another guy who has seen his production increase due to injury, he's now scored in three straight games, including the last time he faced Chicago. With Percy Harvin out for the year and no Brian Urlacher or Tim Jennings for the Bears, Rudolph should have another productive day. Still available in 40 percent of leagues.

Martellus Bennett, Giants: Finally healthy, we saw Martellus come alive on Monday night, and the Saints have allowed four scores to opposing tight ends in the past four games. Solid, low-end, top-10 tight end.

If you're desperate: With Stokley out, Jacob Tamme should have his third straight solid game. ... The same thinking about Brandon Pettigrew applies to Tony Scheffler, just less so.
[/h][h=3]Tight ends I hate in Week 14[/h][h=3]
Vernon Davis, 49ers: Three points or fewer in three of the four games Colin Kaepernick has played significant time in, he doesn't seem to be a consistent part of the offense (just four targets the past two weeks). Hell, Delanie Walker has more fantasy points over the past two games than Davis. The Dolphins have allowed only two scores to opposing tight ends all year, although they have come in the past four weeks. Davis has the talent to have a big game, but he's been so inconsistent and there are so many solid tight end options available, I'd rather look elsewhere in a playoff week.

Antonio Gates, Chargers: Six points in the past three weeks. Six total. The Steelers allow the fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and they have allowed only one score to an opposing tight end at home this year. As talented as Gates is, just remember, if you trust him, you're also trusting your playoff fate to Philip Rivers and Norv Turner.

Brent Celek, Eagles: "Mommy, why is that large man wearing a white wig? And what's a musket?"
[/h][h=3]Defenses I love in Week 14[/h][h=3]
Cleveland Browns D/ST: Averaging more than 10 fantasy points per game at home this year, the Browns are the best "plug and play" defense option this week, available in more than 75 percent of leagues. In Brady Quinn's triumphant return to Cleveland, you know the crowd will be fired up as they chant, "Hey, I forget, was he on our team?"

Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST: "Come on, Trent Cole, finish that pint of old Sticher Ale. We are late for the shoeing of the horse. We've already missed the smelting class!"

Cincinnati Bengals D/ST: They're red-hot, and Tony Romo has been known to throw a pick or two, you know?

If you're desperate: Averaging 12 points a game the past three weeks, the Buffalo Bills send four or fewer rushers on 83.7 percent of drop backs. Of the quarterbacks with at least 250 attempts against standard pressure, Sam Bradford is either last or tied for last in touchdowns, TD-INT differential and first downs. ... The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been a great defense, but Mark Sanchez can make up for a lot of that.
[/h][h=3]Defenses I hate in Week 14[/h][h=3]
Houston Texans D/ST: Banged up and facing Tom Brady on the road for "Monday Night Football"? Not a top-10 defense for me.

Baltimore Ravens D/ST: Also banged up, the big thing about Washington is it doesn't really turn the ball over that much and it's getting harder to sack RG3. The Redskins allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing defenses.

[/h]

HacheMan · Dec 10, 2012

Instant Impressions from Week 14

By Christopher Harris | ESPN.com

Well, that was disappointing.

For the first round of the fantasy playoffs, several NFL studs decided not to show up and in the process torpedoed many, many squads. Here's hoping you weren't one of them.

Aaron Rodgers rushed for a touchdown to make his Sunday night look palatable, but he also failed to throw for a TD in a home game for the first time in 30 contests. Rodgers passed for a season-low 173 yards, his worst total in two years. And he's now failed to reach 16 fantasy points in four consecutive games (and five of his past six).

If Drew Brees didn't sink your team a couple Thursdays ago with a five-INT game, he probably did it Sunday against the New York Giants. Breezy did toss for 354 yards in a futile comeback attempt, but he threw two INTs and one TD, extending a two-game slump that came at the wrong dang time. So much for a first-round QB being a bastion of safety when you need him most.

Chris Johnson partied like it was Week 1, managing only 59 total yards and no scores on 22 touches behind a super-makeshift Tennessee Titans O-line. The Indianapolis Colts have a legit run defense now, at least against teams who don't have their blocking schemes in perfect working order.

C.J. Spiller barely got a sniff as Fred Jackson appeared to re-take the Buffalo Bills' starting RB job. Spiller had eight touches to Jackson's 14, and Tashard Choice played the first snap after Jackson's fourth-quarter leg injury. Chan Gailey appears to have decided Spiller can't play in bad weather, which is unfortunate when you coach in Buffalo.

A.J. Green dropped multiple passes, including one that would've gone for a long TD, and wound up with just three catches for 44 yards on eight targets. The normally sure-handed stud picked the wrong time to submit his most boneheaded game of the season.

Finally, Larry Fitzgerald caught one of 11 targets. One. Though of course by this point, anyone who perceives Fitz as a stud with his rogue's gallery of QBs hasn't been paying attention.

Let's look at Sunday's other top storylines:

• Heading into Monday night's tilt involving Tom Brady and Matt Schaub, only two QBs have submitted stellar Week 14 performances: Cam Newton and Nick Foles. Newton's passing against the Atlanta Falcons was strong (23-of-35 for 287 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs), but he made the national highlight reels with a rumbling 72-yard rushing TD and put together 116 total rush yards on nine carries. That's three straight games with at least 28 fantasy points for Newton, who's accounted for 10 TDs and zero turnovers in that span after posting 13 TDs and 13 turnovers in his first 10 games. Meanwhile Foles also rushed (some would say "lumbered") for a score Sunday, plus he went 32-of-51 for 381 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs. His accuracy was better, and he stood in the pocket taking tremendous pressure from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pass rush. Of course, Foles was impossible to trust in fantasy; he was started in only 1.4 percent of ESPN leagues Sunday. And despite this strong performance, if you're still alive headed into Week 15, it will again be very difficult to trust him Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals.

• The Washington Redskins posted a stirring come-from-behind win and Robert Griffin III wasn't even the guy who led the way late. Bobby Three Sticks scrambled left in the fourth quarter and took a thunderous hit from Haloti Ngata as he was going down. RG3's right leg whipsawed sickeningly and in the moment the injury appeared to involve broken bones. But Griffin returned temporarily to the game (and completed a long pass) before the pain overcame him, and fellow rookie Kirk Cousins threw the game-tying TD (and rushed for the two-point conversion). X-rays and an MRI showed no ligament damage for Griffin, and he's considered day-to-day with a knee sprain. His surviving fantasy owners will have a medical drama ahead of them this week.

• David Wilson took a first-quarter kickoff return 97 yards to the house Sunday evening, but that was only the beginning. Ahmad Bradshaw suffered a knee injury and missed nearly a full half of play (he did return later in the game), giving Wilson a chance to shine as the feature back, and Wilson did shine. He converted a second-quarter red-zone carry for a six-yard TD, then exploded up the middle against a tiring New Orleans Saints defense for a third-quarter 52-yarder that highlighted his sprinter's speed. Going forward, Wilson's problem is that Bradshaw is still pretty much healthy and will likely start Week 15 versus the Falcons. That will make Wilson a deep-league flex at best.

• If Wilson finally showed some rookie juice, then Bryce Brown finally showed some human frailty. Brown got nothing going, managing 12 yards on 14 touches Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles legitimately tried to make Brown the focal point of their offense in the first half, getting it to him 11 times but repeatedly seeing him swarmed under by a Bucs run defense I admit I severely underrated heading into this week. After that, Brown was an afterthought as Foles took over, and Dion Lewis was on the field more than Brown was in the fourth quarter. If you survived this effort, Brown is probably still startable as a top-20 back against the Bengals on Thursday, because it's unlikely that LeSean McCoy gets cleared. But at least now we can all rein in our expectations a bit.

• The only thing wrong with Vick Ballard's candidacy to be a surprise fantasy star in December was the fact that the Colts still weren't giving it to him at the goal line. Donald Brown missed Sunday's game with his bad ankle, and Ballard was Indy's clear feature back. But Delone Carter was still coming into the game in goal-to-go situations as he did Sunday, vulturing a one-yard third-quarter score. But then Carter hurt an ankle and couldn't return, ceding the field to Ballard, who produced 104 yards on 20 touches. Now, Brown could return for Week 15 and Carter's injury might not turn out to be serious. But if both of those guys are out against the Houston Texans, Ballard might legitimately be considered a top-20 back.

• What's gotten into BenJarvus Green-Ellis? After 10 weeks of plodding, the Bengals RB looks spry. He had his 100-yard rushing streak stopped against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday but submitted another impressive performance nonetheless. And whereas I maintained that his earlier good efforts had been bolstered by "lucky" runs (as in: very well-blocked, very poorly defended), Sunday he came right out of the gate with a rumbling, physical 19-yard run and in the fourth quarter ripped off a 38-yarder from deep in his own territory. The unfortunate thing for Cincy turned out to be that Andy Dalton kept taking sacks while trying to nurse a lead, rather than giving the ball to the Law Firm. This is a performance that has me believing a bit more in BJGE.

With a 6-7 record, the New York Jets somehow find themselves on the fringe of the NFL playoff picture with three relatively easy games remaining (@TEN, SD, @BUF), but don't fool yourself into thinking Mark Sanchez was some kind of competent NFL quarterback Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Oh, he wasn't. The game plan in this one was for Sanchez to get the heck out of the way, avoiding butt-fumbles if possible. That led to 39 combined carries for Shonn Greene and Bilal Powell (split 20-19 in Greene's favor). This continues the trend of Greene's workload lessening in favor of the smaller, faster Powell, and it makes each Jets RB difficult to trust. Sure, if a game's circumstances allow the Jets to run it 39 times every week, each man could be worthy of flex consideration. But as often as not, an opposing team's offense makes it impossible to keep up without throwing. And if that happens, my concern would be that neither Greene nor Powell would get enough work.
• Speaking of backfield platoons, the Detroit Lions appear to be developing one. It now seems awfully clear that Joique Bell is a better all-around player than Mikel Leshoure, whose lone skill seems to be blasting straight ahead into defenders. And early in the game Sunday night, Leshoure was unable to convert a third-and-1 deep in Green Bay Packers territory. (Matthew Stafford wound up scrambling for a four-yard TD on fourth down.) On Detroit's next possession, it was Bell who got the red-zone carry from Green Bay's 6 (he got three yards, and Tony Scheffler caught a TD on the next play). It's too early to say this represents a change in strategy, but if Leshoure loses his goal-line duties, he's nearly worthless in a fantasy league. Each Lions RB had 49 yards rushing (Leshoure on 14 carries, Bell on 12), but Bell had 47 yards on five catches whereas Leshoure doesn't catch the ball much at all. Stay tuned.

• Jackson's knee injury looked bad; he got sandwiched between Michael Brockers and Quintin Mikell on a fourth-quarter run up the gut, and his right knee was still planted as his body bent. Jackson was in obvious and immediate pain and had to be carted to the locker room, but Bills beat reporters have already indicated that the RB avoided catastrophic injury and is likely left with a sprain. It's a pretty good bet that we've seen the last of Jackson this year (and perhaps it was his final moment in a Bills uniform), so Spiller's fantasy owners who survived his inactivity Sunday are likely to get a fuller workload from him in Week 15.

• LaMichael James finally saw the first regular-season action of his rookie year Sunday, and it made most observers wonder why it's taken so long. When Kendall Hunter went down with a torn Achilles' after Week 12, Brandon Jacobs appeared to get first crack at understudying Frank Gore. But that's just backing up a slow guy with a slower guy, so on Sunday, James got work as the San Francisco 49ers' change-of-pace runner, and frankly he looked a lot like Hunter, racking up 45 yards on nine touches. I think we're past the point of worrying that Gore will be rested in December, but I also think James is the most dangerous alternative the Niners have in case Gore gets hurt.

• The tight end mayhem began Thursday night when Brandon Myers managed two catches for seven yards, and it continued unabated all day Sunday. Vernon Davis was targeted twice, and caught one pass for four yards. Marcedes Lewis matched that exact line: one catch, four yards. Kyle Rudolph could only dream of such largesse as he caught zero of his two targets. Brent Celek suffered an early concussion and had zero targets. Antonio Gates was targeted eight times but he and Philip Rivers practically look like they've never played together, and Gates only caught three for 31 yards. Dallas Clark caught one of five targets for 19 yards with a hellacious drop on what might've been a long gain. Jermaine Gresham's four grabs for 43 yards is practically an explosion by comparison. And Jimmy Graham was a total dog, catching five of 10 targets for 56 yards but contributing to both of Brees' INTs, tipping one up in the air for a defender to grab, and failing to stem his seam route and allowing a safety to jump in front of him for a pick. Going into Monday night, which NFL TE had the most receiving yards in Week 14? That's right: Anthony McCoy, with 105.

• The embarrassment that is the Arizona Cardinals offense finally manifested itself in the kind of full-scale meltdown that gets coaches fired. The Seattle Seahawks produced eight turnovers, three sacks, one defensive TD and one special teams TD en route to a 58-0 shutout and a wild and woolly 39 fantasy points for their D/ST. According to my friend and colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft, it was only the second time in 23 years that a D/ST scored that many fantasy points (the only other time was Seattle, too, when the defense produced 42 during a Monday night game against the Eagles in 2005). As of this writing, Ken Whisenhunt hadn't been axed, but rumors were swirling. Meanwhile, if you faced that Seahawks D/ST? I am very, very sorry.

HacheMan · Dec 10, 2012

David Wilson good, Fitzgerald bad (again)

Eric Karabell

was mid-October when underutilized New York Giants rookie running back David Wilson announced confidently that he was a future Hall of Famer, issuing his declaration with little to back it up with. From a football sense, Wilson's rookie year had been disappointing; he fumbled on his second career carry and entered the proverbial doghouse, delivering positive fantasy points in only three contests entering Sunday. Of course, he changed all that on Sunday.

<offer>Wilson erupted for an impressive and versatile 28 fantasy points against the New Orleans Saints, breaking the franchise mark with 327 all-purpose yards. The Virginia Tech speedster is currently owned in 40.3 percent of ESPN standard leagues, but after becoming the first player to rush for 100 yards and accumulate more than 200 return yards in the same game, and knowing the durability issues surrounding starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw, things will obviously change moving ahead.

A confident fellow to be sure, Wilson's ability hasn't really been in question, but even he admitted he needed to regain the coaches' trust. Bradshaw left Sunday's game because of a knee injury, though he later returned, and Wilson was given the opportunity to run the ball 13 times. With prior goal-line running back Andre Brown out for the season and the team subsequently lacking position depth, plus not knowing Wilson's potential impact, the Giants signed veterans Ryan Torain and Kregg Lumpkin recently. Don't look for them to matter after Wilson sprinted through gaping holes to return a kickoff 97 yards for one score, began the second half with a hard-earned 6-yard touchdown run and then closed the 52-27 rout with a 52-yard scamper.

Sure, the Saints are notably awful defensively, but Wilson is a former track star and is now clearly out of coach Tom Coughlin's doghouse, and his timing was impeccable. It's premature to know if Bradshaw, who has missed time with neck and foot problems this season and now has a balky knee, will play in Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons, but even if he does, Wilson is finally "in play" for fantasy owners. He was active in only 3.9 percent of ESPN standard leagues for this week, and we shouldn't presume he becomes a reasonable flex choice just yet, but also don't be surprised if the first-round pick and fantasy 13th-rounder in ESPN average live drafts becomes a star, and soon.

Second down: Staying in the NFC East, it's also premature to know whether fantasy's leading scorer will be available next week. Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III suffered a scary-looking right knee injury Sunday, though an initial MRI showed no significant ligament damage. Phew! Of course, a sprained knee could still keep Griffin, who scored 16 fantasy points against the Baltimore Ravens before leaving the game and briefly returning, from playing next week at the Cleveland Browns. Despite the inspiring and winning relief performance of fellow Redskins rookie Kirk Cousins, if Griffin misses time, there are better, more proven options available in many ESPN leagues, such as Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Third down: The Week 14 bust performance also happened to come from the NFC East, as Philadelphia Eagles running back Bryce Brown tortured many fantasy owners by tying them with nary a fantasy point, this after accumulating 53 fantasy points over the previous two games. Brown rushed 12 times for 6 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the Bucs do lead the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed, Brown had lit up the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys for 347 rushing yards and four scores, and LeSean McCoy owners were getting concerned. They're probably not concerned anymore. Brown is about as raw a rookie as can be imagined after not starting a game since high school, but he is talented. There's no moral of this sad story, and the timing in this opening playoff week for many is awful, but Brown could easily light up the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night. Most of those who own him (85.2 percent) activated him (72.1 percent) in Week 14, and they shouldn't overreact by jumping off the bandwagon in Week 15. Unless McCoy unexpectedly returns from his concussion, Brown will be right back in my top 20 rankings.

Fourth down: There was actual fantasy-relevant news in other divisions, too. Let's focus on two previously elite wide receivers, each getting quarterback upgrades Sunday. For Arizona Cardinals nice guy Larry Fitzgerald, the return of John Skelton to starting quarterback (an astounding minus-8 fantasy points!) clearly didn't help him as he scored zero fantasy points. He now has not exceeded three points since Week 9. Incredibly, over the past four games, Fitzgerald has as many receptions as Cardinals quarterbacks (Skelton and Ryan Lindley) have interceptions on merely his targets alone. On Sunday, Skelton and Lindley were 1-for-11 for 2 yards and three picks when targeting Fitzgerald.

Then there's Mike Wallace of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned from missing three games with shoulder woes to total 18 fantasy points on 285 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Sure, quite a bit of the fantasy success came trailing by a considerable margin in an eventual loss to the San Diego Chargers, but it all counts, especially for those relying on Wallace. He entered play having scored four fantasy points the previous three weeks combined, but with Roethlisberger looking his way often, Wallace led all wide receivers (entering Sunday night) for the week with 23 fantasy points on 112 receiving yards and two touchdowns. If only Fitzgerald had a quarterback like Roethlisberger. Wallace will return to WR2 status this week, while Fitzgerald certainly does not.
</offer>

HacheMan · Dec 11, 2012

Goal-Line Grid

By Fantasy Insider | ESPN.com

Player <center> Week 12 </center> <center> Week 13 </center> <center> Week 14 </center> <center> SEASON TOTAL </center>
Arizona Cardinals <center> Opp </center> <center> In5 </center> <center> TD </center> <center> Opp </center> <center> In5 </center> <center> TD </center> <center> Opp </center> <center> In5 </center> <center> TD </center> <center> Opp </center> <center> In5 </center> <center> TD </center>

LaRod Stephens-Howling 2 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 117 7 4
Beanie Wells 17 2 1 15 0 0 6 0 0 68 3 1
Ryan Williams -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 68 4 0
William Powell 11 0 0 4 0 0 8 0 0 56 0 0
Kevin Kolb -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 16 1 1
Notes: Williams (shoulder) placed on IR following Week 5; Kolb (ribs, shoulder) was inactive Weeks 12-14
Atlanta Falcons <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Michael Turner 16 1 1 13 2 1 7 2 1 210 18 6
Jacquizz Rodgers 12 1 1 10 0 0 11 0 0 123 2 1
Jason Snelling 3 0 0 5 0 0 2 0 0 40 2 1
Matt Ryan 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 29 1 1
Baltimore Ravens <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Ray Rice 32 0 0 14 0 0 23 0 0 288 7 3
Bernard Pierce 9 0 0 9 0 0 10 0 0 73 0 0
Vonta Leach 1 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 30 1 1
Joe Flacco 4 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 27 2 2
Buffalo Bills <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

C.J. Spiller 19 0 0 15 0 0 8 0 0 188 2 1
Fred Jackson 7 1 0 28 1 0 14 0 0 155 7 3
Tashard Choice -- -- -- 0 0 0 0 0 0 49 2 0
Ryan Fitzpatrick 3 0 0 5 1 1 3 0 0 41 4 1
Johnny White -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 8 0 0
Notes: Choice did not play Week 12; White was released following Week 5
Carolina Panthers <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

DeAngelo Williams 12 0 0 13 0 0 20 0 0 132 4 1
Jonathan Stewart 11 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- 117 4 1
Cam Newton 14 3 2 7 0 0 9 0 0 104 11 6
Mike Tolbert 3 0 0 6 0 0 8 0 0 60 2 2
Notes: Stewart (ankle) was inactive Weeks 13-14
Chicago Bears <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Matt Forte 17 0 0 24 0 0 20 0 0 243 3 0
Michael Bush 22 2 2 8 0 0 1 0 0 125 7 5
Jay Cutler 3 0 0 5 0 0 2 0 0 33 0 0
Armando Allen 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 20 1 0
Kahlil Bell -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 13 0 0
Notes: Bell was released before Week 7
Cincinnati Bengals <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

BenJarvus Green-Ellis 20 4 1 29 1 0 15 0 0 264 11 4
Cedric Peerman 8 1 0 2 0 0 -- -- -- 40 2 1
Andy Dalton 4 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 37 3 2
Brian Leonard 0 0 0 2 0 0 6 0 0 32 0 0
Bernard Scott -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 8 1 0
Chris Pressley 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 1
Notes: Peerman (ankle) was inactive Week 14; Scott (knee) placed on IR following Week 5
Cleveland Browns <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Trent Richardson 33 0 0 25 2 1 20 4 2 308 10 4
Montario Hardesty 2 0 0 5 0 0 11 1 0 48 3 1
Chris Ogbonnaya 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 0 0
Brandon Weeden 2 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 24 0 0
Dallas Cowboys <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

DeMarco Murray -- -- -- 27 2 1 26 2 1 147 4 2
Felix Jones 10 0 0 7 0 0 3 0 0 140 3 2
Lance Dunbar 7 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 32 0 0
Phillip Tanner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 2 0
Tony Romo 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 27 1 1
Notes: Murray (foot) was inactive Week 12
Denver Broncos <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Willis McGahee -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 201 13 4
Knowshon Moreno 24 0 0 26 0 0 37 3 1 96 3 1
Ronnie Hillman 3 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0 72 1 1
Lance Ball 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 39 2 0
Notes: McGahee (knee) placed on "designated for return" IR following Week 11
Detroit Lions <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Mikel Leshoure 14 1 1 24 0 0 15 1 0 208 5 4
Joique Bell 5 0 0 10 0 0 18 0 0 115 3 1
Kevin Smith 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 48 4 2
Matthew Stafford 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 1 32 5 4
Green Bay Packers <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Alex Green 14 0 0 13 0 0 15 0 0 147 2 0
Cedric Benson -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 87 1 1
James Starks 9 0 0 17 0 0 -- -- -- 77 0 0
Aaron Rodgers 3 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 46 4 0
John Kuhn 7 0 0 8 0 0 2 0 0 39 1 1
DuJuan Harris -- -- -- -- -- -- 7 0 0 7 0 0
Graham Harrell 0 0 0 -- -- -- 0 0 0 1 1 0
Notes: Benson (foot) placed on "designated for return" IR following Week 5; Starks (knee) was inactive Week 14 and is out indefinitely; Harris promoted from practice squad before Week 13, did not play Week 13; Harrell did not play Weeks 11, 13
Houston Texans <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Arian Foster 25 2 1 19 2 1 21 1 1 346 31 13
Justin Forsett 6 0 0 14 0 0 4 0 0 67 0 0
Ben Tate -- -- -- 3 0 0 9 1 0 64 3 1
James Casey 5 0 0 3 1 1 1 0 0 38 2 2
Matt Schaub 2 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 20 0 0
T.J. Yates -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 1 1 1 1 1
Notes: Tate (hamstring) was inactive Weeks 11-12; Yates did not play Weeks 12-13
Indianapolis Colts <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Vick Ballard 14 0 0 13 0 0 20 0 0 171 1 0
Donald Brown 11 0 0 8 0 0 -- -- -- 122 1 0
Andrew Luck 6 0 0 3 0 0 5 0 0 49 6 5
Delone Carter 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 1 35 4 3
Mewelde Moore -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 15 2 1
Notes: Brown (ankle) was inactive Week 14; Moore released following Week 8
Jacksonville Jaguars <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Rashad Jennings 17 2 1 8 0 0 -- -- -- 127 5 2
Maurice Jones-Drew -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 103 1 1
Jalen Parmele 9 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- 50 3 0
Montell Owens 0 0 0 8 1 0 15 0 0 26 1 0
Blaine Gabbert -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 18 1 0
Chad Henne 2 0 0 4 1 1 1 0 0 13 1 1
Notes: Jennings (concussion) was inactive Week 14; Jones-Drew (foot) was inactive Weeks 12-14; Parmele (groin) placed on IR following Week 12; Gabbert (forearm, shoulder) placed on IR following Week 11
Kansas City Chiefs <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Jamaal Charles 24 0 0 31 0 0 20 0 0 280 2 0
Shaun Draughn 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 77 1 1
Peyton Hillis 2 0 0 13 2 1 6 1 0 75 4 1
Dexter McCluster 6 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 67 0 0
Matt Cassel -- -- -- -- -- -- 0 0 0 27 2 1
Nate Eachus 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- 8 0 0
Cyrus Gray -- -- -- 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0
Notes: Cassel did not play Weeks 12-13; Eachus (healthy scratch) was inactive Week 14; Gray (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 11-12
Miami Dolphins <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Reggie Bush 16 0 0 16 0 0 21 0 0 221 2 0
Daniel Thomas 10 1 1 7 1 0 2 1 0 112 9 4
Ryan Tannehill 4 0 0 5 1 1 3 0 0 33 3 2
Lamar Miller -- -- -- 0 0 0 4 0 0 33 0 0
Charles Clay 6 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 27 0 0
Jorvorskie Lane 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 21 2 2
Notes: Miller (healthy scratch) was inactive Week 12
Minnesota Vikings <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Adrian Peterson 24 0 0 23 0 0 33 4 2 309 14 6
Toby Gerhart 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 57 1 0
Christian Ponder 2 0 0 6 1 0 4 0 0 48 1 0
Matt Asiata 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0
New England Patriots <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Stevan Ridley 21 0 0 19 2 1 18 1 0 254 17 6
Danny Woodhead 3 0 0 9 0 0 4 0 0 93 2 1
Shane Vereen 12 1 0 4 0 0 9 0 0 66 4 3
Brandon Bolden -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 0 0 47 5 1
Tom Brady 3 1 1 4 1 0 1 0 0 20 4 3
Notes: Bolden (knee) was suspended Weeks 12-13
New Orleans Saints <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Pierre Thomas 2 0 0 15 0 0 13 0 0 130 2 1
Mark Ingram 11 0 0 7 1 1 13 0 0 119 4 2
Darren Sproles 8 0 0 9 1 0 12 0 0 102 3 1
Chris Ivory 8 0 0 4 0 0 -- -- -- 39 0 0
Drew Brees 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 13 1 1
Jed Collins 2 1 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 13 1 1
Notes: Ivory (hamstring) was inactive Week 14
New York Giants <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Ahmad Bradshaw 13 0 0 26 1 0 11 0 0 223 11 3
Andre Brown 13 1 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 89 12 8
David Wilson 7 1 0 4 0 0 14 1 0 47 2 0
Eli Manning 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 19 1 0
Henry Hynoski 2 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 17 2 0
Da'Rel Scott -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 0 0
Notes: Brown (fibula) placed on "designated for return" IR following Week 12; Scott (knee) placed on IR following Week 6
New York Jets <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Shonn Greene 16 1 0 24 1 0 20 2 1 252 15 5
Bilal Powell 15 2 1 13 1 0 19 1 1 110 6 3
Tim Tebow -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 30 3 0
Joe McKnight 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 26 1 0
Mark Sanchez 2 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 16 1 0
Greg McElroy -- -- -- 4 2 0 -- -- -- 4 2 0
Notes: Tebow did not play Weeks 12, 14, was inactive Week 13 (ribs); McElroy (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 12, 14
Oakland Raiders <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Darren McFadden -- -- -- -- -- -- 15 0 0 201 6 1
Marcel Reece 23 0 0 14 0 0 5 0 0 122 1 0
Jeremy Stewart 13 0 0 10 0 0 -- -- -- 33 0 0
Mike Goodson -- -- -- -- -- -- 0 0 0 32 0 0
Carson Palmer 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 16 2 1
Notes: McFadden (ankle) was inactive Weeks 12-13; Stewart (healthy scratch) was inactive Week 14; Goodson (ankle) was inactive Weeks 12-13
Philadelphia Eagles <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

LeSean McCoy -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 228 11 3
Bryce Brown 24 1 1 31 1 1 14 0 0 104 6 2
Michael Vick -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 57 4 1
Stanley Havili 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 1 1
Dion Lewis 5 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 11 0 0
Notes: McCoy (concussion) was inactive Weeks 12-14; Vick (concussion) was inactive Weeks 12-14
Pittsburgh Steelers <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Jonathan Dwyer 11 0 0 20 0 0 12 0 0 144 4 0
Isaac Redman 3 0 0 10 0 0 3 0 0 117 4 2
Chris Rainey 10 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 42 1 1
Rashard Mendenhall 4 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- 42 0 0
Baron Batch -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 31 2 1
Will Johnson 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 21 1 1
Ben Roethlisberger -- -- -- -- -- -- 5 0 0 20 0 0
Notes: Mendenhall (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 13-14; Batch was released following Week 11; Roethlisberger (ribs, shoulder) was inactive Weeks 12-13
San Diego Chargers <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Ryan Mathews 22 0 0 16 0 0 25 0 0 228 0 0
Ronnie Brown 6 0 0 8 0 0 6 0 0 92 1 0
Jackie Battle 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 62 10 4
Curtis Brinkley -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 0 0
Le'Ron McClain 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 23 0 0
Notes: Brinkley (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 12-14
Seattle Seahawks <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Marshawn Lynch 22 2 0 21 1 1 11 1 1 284 9 5
Robert Turbin 5 0 0 1 0 0 21 0 0 84 0 0
Russell Wilson 5 0 0 9 0 0 3 0 0 69 0 0
Leon Washington 0 0 0 4 0 0 7 1 1 27 1 1
Michael Robinson 1 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 20 1 1
San Francisco 49ers <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Frank Gore 22 1 0 24 1 1 14 1 1 239 9 5
Kendall Hunter 5 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- 85 3 1
Colin Kaepernick 6 0 0 9 0 0 6 0 0 46 2 0
Alex Smith -- -- -- -- -- -- 0 0 0 29 0 0
Anthony Dixon 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 14 2 2
LaMichael James -- -- -- -- -- -- 9 0 0 9 0 0
Notes: Hunter (Achilles') placed on IR following Week 12; Smith (concussion) was inactive Week 11, did not play Weeks 12-13; James (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 12-13
St. Louis Rams <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Steven Jackson 24 1 0 28 0 0 21 1 1 246 7 1
Daryl Richardson 7 0 0 6 0 0 3 0 0 113 2 0
Sam Bradford 2 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 32 1 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Doug Martin 24 4 2 22 0 0 33 2 1 316 17 5
LeGarrette Blount 0 0 0 -- -- -- 1 0 0 39 4 1
Josh Freeman 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 32 0 0
Erik Lorig 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 14 2 1
Notes: Blount did not play Week 13
Tennessee Titans <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Chris Johnson 24 0 0 18 0 0 22 1 0 265 4 0
Jake Locker 5 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 25 0 0
Darius Reynaud 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 21 0 0
Jamie Harper -- -- -- -- -- -- 0 0 0 14 3 3
Notes: Harper (ankle) was inactive Weeks 12-13
Washington Redskins <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center> <center>Opp</center> <center>In5</center> <center>TD</center>

Alfred Morris 24 1 1 22 0 0 23 2 1 263 9 5
Robert Griffin III 7 1 0 5 0 0 7 0 0 113 6 3
Evan Royster 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 36 2 1
Darrel Young 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 22 0 0
Roy Helu -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 9 0 0
Notes: Helu (toe, Achilles') placed on IR following Week 3

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	Player	<center> Week 12 </center>	<center> Week 13 </center>	<center> Week 14 </center>	<center> SEASON TOTAL </center>
Arizona Cardinals	<center> Opp </center>	<center> In5 </center>	<center> TD </center>	<center> Opp </center>	<center> In5 </center>	<center> TD </center>	<center> Opp </center>	<center> In5 </center>	<center> TD </center>	<center> Opp </center>	<center> In5 </center>	<center> TD </center>
	LaRod Stephens-Howling	2	0	0	4	0	0	3	0	0	117	7	4
Beanie Wells	17	2	1	15	0	0	6	0	0	68	3	1
Ryan Williams	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	68	4	0
William Powell	11	0	0	4	0	0	8	0	0	56	0	0
Kevin Kolb	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	16	1	1
Notes: Williams (shoulder) placed on IR following Week 5; Kolb (ribs, shoulder) was inactive Weeks 12-14
Atlanta Falcons	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Michael Turner	16	1	1	13	2	1	7	2	1	210	18	6
Jacquizz Rodgers	12	1	1	10	0	0	11	0	0	123	2	1
Jason Snelling	3	0	0	5	0	0	2	0	0	40	2	1
Matt Ryan	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	29	1	1
Baltimore Ravens	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Ray Rice	32	0	0	14	0	0	23	0	0	288	7	3
Bernard Pierce	9	0	0	9	0	0	10	0	0	73	0	0
Vonta Leach	1	0	0	4	0	0	4	0	0	30	1	1
Joe Flacco	4	0	0	1	0	0	5	0	0	27	2	2
Buffalo Bills	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	C.J. Spiller	19	0	0	15	0	0	8	0	0	188	2	1
Fred Jackson	7	1	0	28	1	0	14	0	0	155	7	3
Tashard Choice	--	--	--	0	0	0	0	0	0	49	2	0
Ryan Fitzpatrick	3	0	0	5	1	1	3	0	0	41	4	1
Johnny White	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	8	0	0
Notes: Choice did not play Week 12; White was released following Week 5
Carolina Panthers	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	DeAngelo Williams	12	0	0	13	0	0	20	0	0	132	4	1
Jonathan Stewart	11	0	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	117	4	1
Cam Newton	14	3	2	7	0	0	9	0	0	104	11	6
Mike Tolbert	3	0	0	6	0	0	8	0	0	60	2	2
Notes: Stewart (ankle) was inactive Weeks 13-14
Chicago Bears	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Matt Forte	17	0	0	24	0	0	20	0	0	243	3	0
Michael Bush	22	2	2	8	0	0	1	0	0	125	7	5
Jay Cutler	3	0	0	5	0	0	2	0	0	33	0	0
Armando Allen	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	20	1	0
Kahlil Bell	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	13	0	0
Notes: Bell was released before Week 7
Cincinnati Bengals	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	20	4	1	29	1	0	15	0	0	264	11	4
Cedric Peerman	8	1	0	2	0	0	--	--	--	40	2	1
Andy Dalton	4	0	0	4	0	0	1	0	0	37	3	2
Brian Leonard	0	0	0	2	0	0	6	0	0	32	0	0
Bernard Scott	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	8	1	0
Chris Pressley	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	1	1
Notes: Peerman (ankle) was inactive Week 14; Scott (knee) placed on IR following Week 5
Cleveland Browns	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Trent Richardson	33	0	0	25	2	1	20	4	2	308	10	4
Montario Hardesty	2	0	0	5	0	0	11	1	0	48	3	1
Chris Ogbonnaya	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	31	0	0
Brandon Weeden	2	0	0	5	0	0	1	0	0	24	0	0
Dallas Cowboys	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	DeMarco Murray	--	--	--	27	2	1	26	2	1	147	4	2
Felix Jones	10	0	0	7	0	0	3	0	0	140	3	2
Lance Dunbar	7	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	32	0	0
Phillip Tanner	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30	2	0
Tony Romo	3	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	27	1	1
Notes: Murray (foot) was inactive Week 12
Denver Broncos	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Willis McGahee	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	201	13	4
Knowshon Moreno	24	0	0	26	0	0	37	3	1	96	3	1
Ronnie Hillman	3	0	0	5	0	0	5	0	0	72	1	1
Lance Ball	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	39	2	0
Notes: McGahee (knee) placed on "designated for return" IR following Week 11
Detroit Lions	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Mikel Leshoure	14	1	1	24	0	0	15	1	0	208	5	4
Joique Bell	5	0	0	10	0	0	18	0	0	115	3	1
Kevin Smith	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	48	4	2
Matthew Stafford	2	0	0	1	0	0	3	1	1	32	5	4
Green Bay Packers	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Alex Green	14	0	0	13	0	0	15	0	0	147	2	0
Cedric Benson	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	87	1	1
James Starks	9	0	0	17	0	0	--	--	--	77	0	0
Aaron Rodgers	3	0	0	4	0	0	3	0	0	46	4	0
John Kuhn	7	0	0	8	0	0	2	0	0	39	1	1
DuJuan Harris	--	--	--	--	--	--	7	0	0	7	0	0
Graham Harrell	0	0	0	--	--	--	0	0	0	1	1	0
Notes: Benson (foot) placed on "designated for return" IR following Week 5; Starks (knee) was inactive Week 14 and is out indefinitely; Harris promoted from practice squad before Week 13, did not play Week 13; Harrell did not play Weeks 11, 13
Houston Texans	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Arian Foster	25	2	1	19	2	1	21	1	1	346	31	13
Justin Forsett	6	0	0	14	0	0	4	0	0	67	0	0
Ben Tate	--	--	--	3	0	0	9	1	0	64	3	1
James Casey	5	0	0	3	1	1	1	0	0	38	2	2
Matt Schaub	2	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	20	0	0
T.J. Yates	--	--	--	--	--	--	1	1	1	1	1	1
Notes: Tate (hamstring) was inactive Weeks 11-12; Yates did not play Weeks 12-13
Indianapolis Colts	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Vick Ballard	14	0	0	13	0	0	20	0	0	171	1	0
Donald Brown	11	0	0	8	0	0	--	--	--	122	1	0
Andrew Luck	6	0	0	3	0	0	5	0	0	49	6	5
Delone Carter	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2	1	35	4	3
Mewelde Moore	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	15	2	1
Notes: Brown (ankle) was inactive Week 14; Moore released following Week 8
Jacksonville Jaguars	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Rashad Jennings	17	2	1	8	0	0	--	--	--	127	5	2
Maurice Jones-Drew	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	103	1	1
Jalen Parmele	9	0	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	50	3	0
Montell Owens	0	0	0	8	1	0	15	0	0	26	1	0
Blaine Gabbert	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	18	1	0
Chad Henne	2	0	0	4	1	1	1	0	0	13	1	1
Notes: Jennings (concussion) was inactive Week 14; Jones-Drew (foot) was inactive Weeks 12-14; Parmele (groin) placed on IR following Week 12; Gabbert (forearm, shoulder) placed on IR following Week 11
Kansas City Chiefs	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Jamaal Charles	24	0	0	31	0	0	20	0	0	280	2	0
Shaun Draughn	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	77	1	1
Peyton Hillis	2	0	0	13	2	1	6	1	0	75	4	1
Dexter McCluster	6	0	0	3	0	0	2	0	0	67	0	0
Matt Cassel	--	--	--	--	--	--	0	0	0	27	2	1
Nate Eachus	0	0	0	0	0	0	--	--	--	8	0	0
Cyrus Gray	--	--	--	1	0	0	0	0	0	8	0	0
Notes: Cassel did not play Weeks 12-13; Eachus (healthy scratch) was inactive Week 14; Gray (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 11-12
Miami Dolphins	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Reggie Bush	16	0	0	16	0	0	21	0	0	221	2	0
Daniel Thomas	10	1	1	7	1	0	2	1	0	112	9	4
Ryan Tannehill	4	0	0	5	1	1	3	0	0	33	3	2
Lamar Miller	--	--	--	0	0	0	4	0	0	33	0	0
Charles Clay	6	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	27	0	0
Jorvorskie Lane	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	21	2	2
Notes: Miller (healthy scratch) was inactive Week 12
Minnesota Vikings	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Adrian Peterson	24	0	0	23	0	0	33	4	2	309	14	6
Toby Gerhart	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	0	0	57	1	0
Christian Ponder	2	0	0	6	1	0	4	0	0	48	1	0
Matt Asiata	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1	0
New England Patriots	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Stevan Ridley	21	0	0	19	2	1	18	1	0	254	17	6
Danny Woodhead	3	0	0	9	0	0	4	0	0	93	2	1
Shane Vereen	12	1	0	4	0	0	9	0	0	66	4	3
Brandon Bolden	--	--	--	--	--	--	2	0	0	47	5	1
Tom Brady	3	1	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	20	4	3
Notes: Bolden (knee) was suspended Weeks 12-13
New Orleans Saints	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Pierre Thomas	2	0	0	15	0	0	13	0	0	130	2	1
Mark Ingram	11	0	0	7	1	1	13	0	0	119	4	2
Darren Sproles	8	0	0	9	1	0	12	0	0	102	3	1
Chris Ivory	8	0	0	4	0	0	--	--	--	39	0	0
Drew Brees	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	13	1	1
Jed Collins	2	1	1	2	0	0	2	0	0	13	1	1
Notes: Ivory (hamstring) was inactive Week 14
New York Giants	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Ahmad Bradshaw	13	0	0	26	1	0	11	0	0	223	11	3
Andre Brown	13	1	1	--	--	--	--	--	--	89	12	8
David Wilson	7	1	0	4	0	0	14	1	0	47	2	0
Eli Manning	2	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	19	1	0
Henry Hynoski	2	1	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	17	2	0
Da'Rel Scott	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	6	0	0
Notes: Brown (fibula) placed on "designated for return" IR following Week 12; Scott (knee) placed on IR following Week 6
New York Jets	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Shonn Greene	16	1	0	24	1	0	20	2	1	252	15	5
Bilal Powell	15	2	1	13	1	0	19	1	1	110	6	3
Tim Tebow	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	30	3	0
Joe McKnight	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	26	1	0
Mark Sanchez	2	1	0	1	0	0	3	0	0	16	1	0
Greg McElroy	--	--	--	4	2	0	--	--	--	4	2	0
Notes: Tebow did not play Weeks 12, 14, was inactive Week 13 (ribs); McElroy (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 12, 14
Oakland Raiders	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Darren McFadden	--	--	--	--	--	--	15	0	0	201	6	1
Marcel Reece	23	0	0	14	0	0	5	0	0	122	1	0
Jeremy Stewart	13	0	0	10	0	0	--	--	--	33	0	0
Mike Goodson	--	--	--	--	--	--	0	0	0	32	0	0
Carson Palmer	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	16	2	1
Notes: McFadden (ankle) was inactive Weeks 12-13; Stewart (healthy scratch) was inactive Week 14; Goodson (ankle) was inactive Weeks 12-13
Philadelphia Eagles	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	LeSean McCoy	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	228	11	3
Bryce Brown	24	1	1	31	1	1	14	0	0	104	6	2
Michael Vick	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	57	4	1
Stanley Havili	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	1	1
Dion Lewis	5	0	0	2	0	0	4	0	0	11	0	0
Notes: McCoy (concussion) was inactive Weeks 12-14; Vick (concussion) was inactive Weeks 12-14
Pittsburgh Steelers	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Jonathan Dwyer	11	0	0	20	0	0	12	0	0	144	4	0
Isaac Redman	3	0	0	10	0	0	3	0	0	117	4	2
Chris Rainey	10	1	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	42	1	1
Rashard Mendenhall	4	0	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	42	0	0
Baron Batch	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	31	2	1
Will Johnson	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	21	1	1
Ben Roethlisberger	--	--	--	--	--	--	5	0	0	20	0	0
Notes: Mendenhall (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 13-14; Batch was released following Week 11; Roethlisberger (ribs, shoulder) was inactive Weeks 12-13
San Diego Chargers	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Ryan Mathews	22	0	0	16	0	0	25	0	0	228	0	0
Ronnie Brown	6	0	0	8	0	0	6	0	0	92	1	0
Jackie Battle	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	62	10	4
Curtis Brinkley	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	40	0	0
Le'Ron McClain	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	0	0	23	0	0
Notes: Brinkley (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 12-14
Seattle Seahawks	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Marshawn Lynch	22	2	0	21	1	1	11	1	1	284	9	5
Robert Turbin	5	0	0	1	0	0	21	0	0	84	0	0
Russell Wilson	5	0	0	9	0	0	3	0	0	69	0	0
Leon Washington	0	0	0	4	0	0	7	1	1	27	1	1
Michael Robinson	1	1	1	3	0	0	1	0	0	20	1	1
San Francisco 49ers	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Frank Gore	22	1	0	24	1	1	14	1	1	239	9	5
Kendall Hunter	5	0	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	85	3	1
Colin Kaepernick	6	0	0	9	0	0	6	0	0	46	2	0
Alex Smith	--	--	--	--	--	--	0	0	0	29	0	0
Anthony Dixon	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	14	2	2
LaMichael James	--	--	--	--	--	--	9	0	0	9	0	0
Notes: Hunter (Achilles') placed on IR following Week 12; Smith (concussion) was inactive Week 11, did not play Weeks 12-13; James (healthy scratch) was inactive Weeks 12-13
St. Louis Rams	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Steven Jackson	24	1	0	28	0	0	21	1	1	246	7	1
Daryl Richardson	7	0	0	6	0	0	3	0	0	113	2	0
Sam Bradford	2	0	0	3	0	0	4	0	0	32	1	1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Doug Martin	24	4	2	22	0	0	33	2	1	316	17	5
LeGarrette Blount	0	0	0	--	--	--	1	0	0	39	4	1
Josh Freeman	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	0	0	32	0	0
Erik Lorig	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	14	2	1
Notes: Blount did not play Week 13
Tennessee Titans	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Chris Johnson	24	0	0	18	0	0	22	1	0	265	4	0
Jake Locker	5	0	0	4	0	0	4	0	0	25	0	0
Darius Reynaud	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	21	0	0
Jamie Harper	--	--	--	--	--	--	0	0	0	14	3	3
Notes: Harper (ankle) was inactive Weeks 12-13
Washington Redskins	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>	<center>Opp</center>	<center>In5</center>	<center>TD</center>
	Alfred Morris	24	1	1	22	0	0	23	2	1	263	9	5
Robert Griffin III	7	1	0	5	0	0	7	0	0	113	6	3
Evan Royster	0	0	0	1	0	0	4	0	0	36	2	1
Darrel Young	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	22	0	0
Roy Helu	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	9	0	0
Notes: Helu (toe, Achilles') placed on IR following Week 3

NFL Fantasy News 2012

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