Fantasy Football / NFL
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- Written by Jim Hutchins
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- Written by Vincent "Alexander" Foss
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- Written by Tad Bukowski
Week 11, well we don’t really need to dwell on that too much!
Luckily last week was so topsy-turvy that it would’ve taken a DeLorean to get a high score. Some people in your league may have been able to call one of the upsets, some maybe two, but it is hard to imagine someone having too high of a score last week.
No point in spending too much time looking at the past – time to go back to the future!
WEEK 12 – HERE WE GO!!!
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
15 – INDIANAPOLIS over Jacksonville – New England may have found some kinks in the Colts’ armor. Lucky for them they get a home game against the lowly Jaguars to work the kinks out.
14 – PHILADELPHIA over Tennessee – Philly made the mistake of heading into Lambeau to take on possibly the hottest team in the league right now. Hosting the Titans should help the Eagles get back on track.
13 – SAN DIEGO over St. Louis – After pulling off what some could call the upset of the year, the Rams head west to take on the Chargers. It may be close, like the Chargers vs Raiders last week, but the Rams don’t have it in them to pull off two big upsets in a row.
12 – BUFFALO over New York Jets – The Bills are offering $10/hour and game tickets to come out and help shovel out Ralph Wilson Stadium. Geno Smith might want to head to Buffalo early to get in on that, he may need to pad his nest egg.
11 – SAN FRANCISCO over Washington – Washington was kind enough to allow the Bucs back to the NFL and their prize is a cross-country trip for a game that they can’t win.
10 – DENVER over Miami – Peyton had an off day last week. Do you really think he will have two in a row?
9 – Green Bay over MINNESOTA – So Ben Tate goes from one crowded backfield to another. It’s a bit of an upgrade for the Vikes but not nearly enough to stop a team that is playing as well as the Pack are right now.
8 – CHICAGO over Tampa Bay – Lovie returns to Soldier Field and brings with him a gift win for the Bears. Mike Evans should be able to continue the tear that he has been on but the Tampa D won’t have enough to stop the Bears offense.
7 – NEW ENGLAND over Detroit – Tom Brady is playing like Tom Brady again. When that happens the Patriots are hard to top in Foxborough.
6 – Dallas over NEW YORK GIANTS – The Giants have had a chance to win a few more games, but Eli just keeps throwing it away … literally and figuratively!
5 – NEW ORLEANS over Baltimore – Quite honestly this game SHOULD be a lot higher, but the Saints have not given us any real reason to have real confidence in them this year.
4 – Arizona over SEATTLE – A huge battle for the NFC West in Seattle. The Cardinals are legit even with Drew Stanton at quarterback. The Seahawks have just too many questions this year.
3 – Cleveland over ATLANTA – With Ben Tate gone, the Browns will have a more focused running attack that should be able to run over the Falcons defense.
2 – Cincinnati over HOUSTON – A Bengals win will rest on the offense. AJ Green started the process of showing the league he is indeed back last week, but to solidify that fact my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that AJ Green will have a 200 yard receiving day.
1 – OAKLAND over Kansas City – This may be just a fan with a hunch (and does not deserve to be anywhere higher than the one point line) – but with the national lights on bright and the Black Hold going crazy, this may be the week the Raiders finally get a W.
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- Written by Shawn Foss
Welcome back to the rookie report! While week 11 saw many of the phenomenal crop of rookie WRs continue their dominance (most notably Mike Evans), it was the rookie runners who surprised this past week. Alfred Blue and Jeremy Hill both topped 150 yards, Tre Mason topped 100, and Isaiah Crowell saw his most extended work of the season and put up 90 total yards. The only way it could have been better would be if some of them found the end zone.
Before we dive into this week’s games, I just want to make a point to remind everyone to check the status of their lineup throughout the week, or at least one final check before the games get started on Sunday. Last week I didn’t even mention Alfred Blue in this column and recommended Terrance West as a starter. By Sunday, Arian Foster was out for the Texans and Crowell was announced as starter for the Browns. Pay attention so you don’t miss the boat when these sorts of things happen. There are a lot of borderline rookies this week, so make sure to pay attention to the details. With that, let’s dive into this week’s rookie matchups…
Rookies to Start:
RB Tre Mason, STL (Wk. 12: @SD): The Rams have found the formula that works for them over the past few weeks, and it includes a lot of Tre Mason. The Rams have won 2 of 3 in a brutal stretch (@SF, @Ari, Den.), and Mason averaged 84 yards from scrimmage in those 3 contests. The Chargers are just a middle of the road run defense right now, so Mason is poised for what should be a solid RB2 day.
RB Alfred Blue, HOU (Wk. 12: vs. Cin.): This call hinges entirely on the health of Arian Foster. There’s been talk that Foster is expected to play in week 12, but if he doesn’t, Blue is in line for another big day. Mallett’s willingness to take shots downfield opens up some room to run, and the Bengals already allow the 6th most RB points in the league. If Foster does suit up, you’d probably want to keep Blue on the pine. The Texans haven’t really eased Foster’s workload if he plays, even when nicked up.
WR Mike Evans, TB (Wk. 12: @Chi.): Tell me one thing that you’ve seen from the Chicago defense that makes you think they can stop Mike Evans. Go ahead. I’ll wait. The truth is, they haven’t done anything to show that, and Evans has at least 7-100-1 in each of his past 3 games, and while he’s not a lock to hit those marks again this week, the upside is just too immense to sit him.
WR Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (Wk. 12: vs. Dal.): The Cowboys’ defense has been really good against opposing WRs, but it’s been more of a product of their run-first offense and high time of possession. They don’t have anyone who can cover OBJ, and as long as the G-Men can keep the ‘Boys from from holding the ball for 40 minutes, OBJ should be a safe WR2 yet again.
WR Jordan Matthews, PHI (Wk. 12: vs. Ten.): The matchup isn’t quite as good as you’d think, but J-Matt will continue to be a safe WR3 as long as Sanchez is under center. He’s topped 100 yards in each of Sanchize’s 2 starts and has 3 TDs to go with those yards. Expect the good times to keep rolling.
Borderline Rookies:
QB Zach Mettenberger, TEN (Wk. 12: @Phi.): Mett’s going to continue to suffer through some rookie growing pains, but his big arm and porous Philly D should make him an upside QB2 option this week. The Eagles have allowed 287 yards and 2.2 touchdowns per game. If Mett approaches those stats, He’d be a borderline QB1.
QB Blake Bortles, JAX (Wk. 12: @Ind.): Bortles has had an extra week to get ready for the Colts, and their defense isn’t imposing (10th most QB points per game allowed), but he’s still no better than a QB2 option without Allen Robinson. He’s been too turnover prone to trust as a number 1, even with decent matchups.
RBs Isaiah Crowell & Terrance West, CLE (Wk. 12: @Atl.): The Browns’ backfield situation got a little less crowded this week when Ben Tate was waived by the team, but there still isn’t a ton of clarity as to who the starter will be. The plan seems to be to watch and see who practices best and let them start each week. Crowell is the more talented back, but until Sunday we probably won’t know for sure which guy will get the nod. Whichever back starts will be worth a start on your fantasy squad. The Falcons allow the 2nd most fantasy points in the league to opposing RBs, and Josh Gordon’s return should keep them from stacking the box. I’d expect Crowell to start, but check on Sunday. The back that doesn’t start will be a dicey flex play at best.
RB Jeremy Hill, CIN (Wk. 12: @Hou.): Gio should be back this week, but Hill has undoubtedly earned a bigger role in the offense going forward. His carries will take a hit this week, which makes him more of a flex option than a safe starter, but if he gets a hot hand the Bengals know they can ride him. Bengals' beat writers expect Hill to continue to see the most carries on the team for the immediate future, but there’s a lot of volatility with Gio back in the mix.
RB Jerick McKinnon, MIN (Wk. 12: vs. GB): I’d expect Ben Tate to need at least a week to get up to speed on the playbook and be a part of the offense, so McKinnon remains the best bet to see lead back carries for the Vikes. Without a bunch of byes this week, he’s just a borderline option. The game flow is likely to keep him from piling up carries, and he still hasn’t scored his first TD, but his workload keeps him in the flex mix.
RB Bishop Sankey, TEN (Wk. 12: @Phi.): Sankey’s role has stabilized over the past few weeks, even as his yards per carry have dipped a bit. He finally scored his 2nd TD of the season last week, but he’ll likely need another TD this week to be considered a successful flex play. I would expect over 60 total yards against a suspect Philly run defense.
WR Sammy Watkins, BUF (Wk. 12: vs. NYJ): The Buffalo snow storm couldn’t have come at a worse time for Watkins. He’s coming off back-to-back down games, and this week gets to do battle with the Jets’ awful secondary, which he torched for 3-157-1 the last time he faced them. If weather isn’t a factor, Watkins would be a safe WR2. If things aren’t totally cleaned up by Sunday, it could be a run-heavy football game that will make it really tough for Watkins to blow up the way he could against New York. Pay attention to the field conditions on Sunday.
WR John Brown, ARI (Wk. 12: @Sea.): Larry Fitzgerald is fighting through an MCL sprain, and although he plans to play through it, he will undoubtedly be limited. The Seahawks defense is outstanding against WRs, but the small, quick guys like Brown are the ones that give them trouble. Stanton clearly likes him. Until this past week, every Stanton TD pass was to Brown and he hit him 5 times in the game against the Lions. Expect 4-5 catches and an ok shot at a TD for Brown this week.
WR Jarvis Landry, MIA (Wk. 12: @Den.): Landry is still just fodder for PPR leagues, but as usual he’s in the conversation for WR3 for those leagues. Denver should be playing angry after losing to the Rams, and they won’t take their foot off the gas pedal if they get ahead. That should keep the Dolphins throwing, and should help Landry to pull in at least 5 receptions. He’s more of a WR4 in standard leagues.
WR Allen Hurns, JAX (Wk. 12: @Ind.): Allen Robinson is done for the year, and it was announced this week that Hurns will start with Marqise Lee playing in 3-WR sets. Hurns has put up some blowup games with other Jaguar receivers sidelined, and there’s a chance he does it again this week. He’s very much a boom-or-bust option with Cecil Shorts likely to see a lot more volume, but Hurns’s deep threat skills give him some appeal as a WR3. Lee isn’t worth a play.
WR Davante Adams, GB (Wk. 12: @Min.): Adams appeared to be gaining consistency headed into the Packers’ bye week, but he has just 3 catches for 23 yards and a TD in the 2 games since. Aaron Rodgers said he expected Adams to have some chances going into the Philly game, but it didn’t really play out that way. You’d have to be pretty ballsy to play him, but Adams still has some boom-or-bust WR3 appeal. You just get the feeling that Rodgers has to start looking his way sooner or later.
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TB (Wk. 12: @Chi.): Seferian-Jenkins is an excellent streaming option this week if you’re missing Dwayne Allen, Julius Thomas, Heath Miller or Greg Olsen. The Bears give up a league-worst 12 points per game to opposing tight ends, and ASJ plays on just about every snap for the Bucs. He disappointed last week against the ‘Skins, but the Bucs should be throwing a bunch to keep pace with the Bears’ offense. He’s a low end TE1 option this week.
Rookies to Sit:
QB Teddy Bridgewater, MIN (Wk. 12: vs. GB): Teddy’s likely to be throwing a bunch, but he still has a bit of a low ceiling. He still hasn’t thrown for multiple touchdowns in one game, and although they should be playing from behind, you can’t have any confidence that he’ll do so this week. He’s a dart throw low-end QB2 at best.
QB Derek Carr, OAK (Wk. 12: vs. KC): The Chiefs’ defense has been stingy during their current 5-game win streak, and there’s no reason to expect that to stop against the winless Raiders. KC has allowed the fewest pass yards per game in the league. Carr isn’t a great option in good matchups. This is a really bad one. The KC defense is an ideal streaming play if they’re available.
RB Lorenzo Taliaferro, BAL (Wk. 12: @NO): The 49ers and Bengals showed over the past two weeks that the way to win in the Superdome is to run the ball down the Saints’ throats, but there’s no way to know if it’ll be ‘Zo or Pierce who will see primary backup work behind Justin Forsett. Taliaferro is only worth considering for a flex spot if you know he’ll get the number 2 RB work for Baltimore.
RB Branden Oliver, SD (Wk. 12: vs. StL.): With Ryan Mathews back, Oliver still saw the same 13 carries he handled in the previous 2 contests, but he just hasn’t been doing much with those carries lately. The Rams’ D is stingy vs. running backs, so I’d keep Oliver benched this week. There isn’t enough upside for the risk.
RB Carlos Hyde, SF (Wk. 12: vs. Was.): The ‘Skins do defend the run effectively, and the 49ers have still been using a lot more Gore than Hyde. You can do better than Carlos this week. At best, he’s a roll of the dice for a TD.
RB Andre Williams, NYG (Wk. 12: vs. Dal.): This is an easy call, but I just wanted to point out that with Jennings back from injury, Williams saw just 3 touches for 6 total yards. Don’t even consider him.
WR Paul Richardson, SEA (Wk. 12: vs. Ari.): There are no changes for Richardson’s outlook this week. He just won’t see enough volume to make an impact, and he should see a lot of Antonio Cromartie this week. It’s just not a good situation for him.
TE Jace Amaro, NYJ (Wk. 12: @Buf.): Amaro had a decent number of targets come his way in his last game, but he has just 2 catches for 6 yards and a TD in Vick’s 2 starts. Even with TE being incredibly shallow this year, I wouldn’t bank on much from Amaro this week.
TE Eric Ebron, DET (Wk. 12: @NE): The matchup is decent with the Pats allowing 9 points per game to opposing TEs, but the Lions have 3 capable tight ends. Even if the Pats are able to slow down Megatron, I haven’t seen anything that makes me think Ebron will pick up much of that slack. Don’t roll the dice here.
Rookies on Byes: WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR, WR Martavis Bryant, PIT
Deep League Sleepers:
RB Charles Sims, TB (Wk. 12: @Chi.): He hasn’t overwhelmed since returning from injured reserve, but he seems to have taken the lead back role from Bobby Rainey. The Bucs want to see what they have in Sims, and the Bears’ D is certainly beatable. Sims should be a dart throw flex option in deeper leagues.
RB Juwan Thompson, DEN (Wk. 12: vs. Mia.): Ball and Hillman are both out for the next couple of weeks. C.J. Anderson undoubtedly has the lead back role going in, but Thompson is still capable of vulturing a TD or 2. He will at the very least see change of pace work.
WR Cody Latimer, DEN (Wk. 12: vs. Mia.): RB isn’t the only position where the Broncos are banged up. Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders both are questionable for next week, and if one or both don’t play, I think this is the week Denver finally unleashes Latimer. If he gets his chance, he could really benefit from Brent Grimes playing on Demaryius Thomas. It’ll be hard to pull the trigger without more official news from the Broncos about his role, but his talent is real and his time may be coming.
WR Donte Moncrief, IND (Wk. 12: vs. Jax.): With Bradshaw out and Allen banged up, Colts may look for a spark from Moncrief. We saw in the first meeting with Jacksonville that the Colts won’t let up when they get a lead, and I could see Moncrief getting some extra snaps. He did catch 4 balls for 55 yards in garbage time in the first meeting, and a similar stat line this time wouldn’t shock me at all.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you win this week. As always, good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.
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- Written by Jason Evans
At drinkfive, we like to think that trends of at least three games or more are something that should be a reliable indicator of future performance. That’s all fine and good, but how about we actually predict if the trends will continue or not and put our money (or beer in this case) where our mouth is.
Here are the predictions we made on last week’s show (note, we were joined by Shawn Foss):
Cam Newton: Wk 8 vs Sea – 6.24 pts, Wk 9 vs NO – 13.34 pts, Wk 10 @ PHI – 15.84 pts
Newton is really a test of this trend theory. Everyone sees his play as being awful, but he’s actually trending up from his season low of 6.24 against the Seahawks. Newton also gets a bye coming up in Week 12, so is he going to stumble, or put it together for the rest of the season?
We all said that Newton would score over 13.34 points and he did, scoring 20.68 (292 passing yards, 2 td, 2 int). Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, which is sure to make fantasy owners nervous. That being said, we don’t care when the points come, just as long as they’re before the end of the game.
Julio Jones: Wk 7 @ BAL – 5.60 pts, Wk 8 vs DET – 5.80 pts, Wk 10 @ TB – 11.90 pts
Jones has really struggled this year compared to where his draft position was, making him a top 5 WR (preseason). Jones is still serviceable this season, but has just as many single digit games as he does double digit, which means he’s probably not as reliable as you’d like. Is this a product of Matt Ryan or Julio, and will he return to greatness or be cursed to NFC South obscurity?
Jones is making us all drink! 6 rec on 11 targets for 59 yards (that gives him 5.9 points, well below our predicted 12), Jones hasn’t found the end zone since week 3 and he’s really hurting from a fantasy perspective because of it. Jones will be going up against the Browns and Joe Haden this week, so it doesn’t get any easier!
DeAndre Hopkins: Wk 7 @ PIT – 8.80 pts, Wk 8 @ TEN – 9.50 pts, Wk 9 vs PHI – 17.50 pts
Hopkins is stepping up (trying to anyway) as the number one guy in Houston. He’s trending up and has 3 100+ yard games under his belt this year and is averaging about 10 targets per game over the last 3 games. Will Hopkins continue his upward trend, or will the new QB in Houston ruin his party?
Hopkins found himself with a new QB in Ryan Mallet, and while he still had 8 targets, he only caught 4 balls for 80 yards. Hopkins is TD dependent and last week did not find the end zone. Dave & Jason called it with him going under 10 pts, Shawn will drink having said he would go over 10.
Le’Veon Bell: Wk 8 vs IND – 14.80 pts, Wk 9 vs Bal – 11.80 pts, Wk 10 @ NYJ – 6.90 pts
Bell has scored double digit points in every single week except for Week 10 now as the Steelers appear to have all but abandoned the run game. Now, these numbers aren’t disastrous, but he’s moved out of RB1 territory. Bell has only 21 carries over the last two weeks, after 24 the week before, two of those games being blowouts for the Steelers. With the passing game working so well lately, will Bell continue to be the odd man out on the Steelers?
Pretty obvious here. Bell went off for 204 yards and a TD on 33 carries in a game that his backup threw himself quite the temper tantrum. Bell will clearly be the guy going forward, and his 28.20 points in Week 11 point him firmly in the right direction.
Ahmad Bradshaw: Wk 7 vs CIN – 18.80 pts, Wk 8 @ PIT – 14.70 pts, Wk 9 @ NYG – 7.90 pts
Bradshaw is trending down, which was a surprise to me. He has 8 total TD’s this year, so he’s been putting up points and is clearly worth a start the rest of the year, right? With matchups against NE, Jax, Was, Cle, Hou and Dal to finish the year, it’s a mixture of good and bad run defenses. Bradshaw seems a bit too TD dependent, but can you really sit the top back on one of the best teams in the league?
This one isn’t quite fair. Bradshaw left the game on Sunday night against the Patriots with a fractured fibula. This will likely land him on the season ending IR, so we’ll drink to Ahmad’s future health and hope he’s better in 2015.
Alfred Morris: Wk 7 vs TEN - 5.40 pts, Wk 8 @ DAL - 14.50 pts, Wk 9 @ MIN - 22.90
Morris averaged 10.1 pts per game, first 6 games, and 14.3 pts per game last 3. He had a really rough stretch against SEA, ARI and TEN in there. Morris was on bye Week 10, so we will follow up on this next week, but we both say he will score a solid 14 points or more.
It was a rough Sunday for the Redskins and it’s already been a rough week for them, since both the QB and coach seem to be taking to the media to have a little pissing match. Morris has been better with RG3 back, last week scoring 13.20 points with 96 yards on 20 carries, adding 2 receptions for 36 yards. Morris is very close to our projection of 14, so we will have everyone drink for this one.
Branden Oliver: Wk 7 vs KC - 7.80 pts, Wk 8 @ DEN - 6.30 pts, Wk 9 @ MIA - 2.60 pts
Oliver scored just 16.7 pts in the last 3 weeks after putting up 48.6 points in the previous two weeks. With Mathews coming back off the bye, is Oliver relevant anymore? Oliver was also on bye Week 10 and both Dave and I see him continuing to fall into obscurity, especially with Ryan Mathews expected to return to the lineup against Oakland on Sunday.
Oliver did get 13 carries and 1 reception, but only turned it into a measly 3.90 points. With Mathews back, we got Oliver’s prediction just right. He’s not really rosterable in most leagues at this point. Everyone else drinks for this one!
Now let’s change gears and look at some trends that we can see after week 11 and make some more predictions. Remember, for all the ones we get wrong, we will drink five on the podcast. For all the ones we get right, you guys drink!
Make sure to listen to our podcast to get our predictions and discussion of the trends into week 12 and we will recap the results next week.
Matthew Stafford: Wk 8 @ ATL – 20.90 pts, Wk 10 vs MIA – 18.10 pts, Wk 11 @ ARI – 6.32 pts
Over the last three weeks, Stafford has gone up against one poor defense and two excellent ones. Stafford isn’t really putting up the numbers this year that we’ve come to expect out of him, but his team is also rather weird (as is tradition in Detroit) and he’s had some injury issues to the WR group. Stafford might have another tough matchup on Sunday in New England, but his matchups for the rest of the season look awesome. Home vs CHI, TB and MIN, then @ CHI for week 16.
Golden Tate: Wk 8 @ ATL – 21.10 pts, Wk 10 vs MIA – 10.90 pts, Wk 11 @ ARI – 4.90 pts
OK, so this one should be obvious, right? Tate obviously did well with Megatron out, and now that he’s back he’ll be on the back burner. But then why did he get 13 targets Week 10? So then you say: “Yes of course, it’s because Stafford has been struggling”. But then does that mean Tate will rebound? As I said earlier, the Lions have a rather cushy schedule going forward, including next week for Tate, since Calvin Johnson will be spending the weekend on Revis Island. We’ll have to see if said island is a retreat or a place with no refuge. The latter ought to benefit Tate a lot.
Torrey Smith: Wk 8 @ CIN – 0.00 pts, Wk 9 @ PIT – 12.30 pts, Wk 10 vs TEN – 13.50 pts
Torrey smith has put up his 4 highest scoring games during the last 5 games he’s played. Of course, the odd game out was a goose-egg, which nobody likes to see. The question here is definitely about Torrey’s trend though, will it continue in the double digits, or will he lost ground to Steve Smith like at the beginning of the season. Steve has really struggled, putting up less than 10 points over the last 3 games (combined total!). There’s no lack of targets for Steve Smith, which isn’t great for Torrey, but Torrey is finding the end zone and is amazing at drawing DPI penalties, which means that Flacco will keep throwing it deep to him, at least a couple of times per game.
Andre Ellington: Wk 9 @ DAL – 19.40 pts, Wk 10 vs STL – 10.20 pts, Wk 11 vs DET 6.60 pts
Ellington has had a few rough matchups the last couple of weeks, and his schedule does not get any easier. While Ellington IS the de facto #1 RB on a team that is 9-1, he is clearly not matchup proof like a Demarco Murray or Jamaal Charles. Ellington has matchups coming up @Sea, @Atl, vs KC, @ Stl and vs Sea. There’s only one defense that’s not in the top 10 in there. Just for icing on the cake, he faces San Francisco in week 17 for those of you who are still going then. If your trade deadline hasn’t passed yet, this may be a guy to consider selling.
Mark Ingram: Wk 9 @ CAR – 23.00 pts, Wk 10 vs SF – 13.90 pts, Wk 11 vs CIN – 9.70 pts
Ingram has been the beneficiary of injuries to other RB’s on his team and it’s translated directly into touches. Ingram has averaged 26 carries per game over the last four games and he’s definitely produced during that time. The problem here may lie with the team. When the Saints are winning, they are running the ball a lot more effectively, though clearly they will run the ball whether or not they are winning. Assuming Robinson and Thomas are out again this week, Ingram will see his usual workload facing a Ravens defense that gives up the fewest points to opposing RB’s. The rest of Ingram’s schedule is much kinder, with games @ Pit, vs Car, @ Chi and vs Atl in week 16.
Make sure to listen to our podcast to get our predictions and discussion of the trends into week 11 and we will recap the results next week.
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- Written by David Biggs
QB
- Mark Sanchez played badly last week despite his fantasy production being more than serviceable, but he'll bounce back next week at home against the Titans. The Eagles have quite a few weapons available to them and they are not afraid to go for those risky plays! I still believe that Sanchez is better than Foles and his struggles in New York were just as much a product of the lack of offensive talent and poor playcalling as anything else. We should see better chemistry and decision-making from Sanchez over the next few weeks.
(53% owned)
- Brian Hoyer has been playing well enough so far this season to rebuke advances from newly drafted rookie QB Johnny Manziel. Sorry, Johnny.. your time has yet to come. It IS time for Josh Gordon's return, though.. and apparently heralded by choirs of angels based on some reactions that I've read today! Anyway, Hoyer could show QB1 upside down the stretch with a weapon like Josh Gordon catching his passes.
(14% owned)
- Kyle Orton put together a string of quality games but more recently has been delivering up some poor performances. This should change pretty quickly as he goes up against the poor passing defense of the New York Jets in week 12. I would expect nothing less than 200 yards and 2 TDs for Orton when he and the Bills try to jumpstart their offense this week.
(13% owned)
- Zach Mettenberger still stands like a statue in the pocket, but we've seen him make some huge plays since taking over the starting job in Tennessee including the 80-yard touchdown bomb to Nate Washington last night against the Steelers. The Titans are certainly a rebuilding team but Mettenberger deserves a look with the right match-up and QBs playing the Eagles have had a good time of it in general.
(3% owned)
It's just not going to happen for ya: Robert Griffin III has all of the upside in the world and some great talents at multiple positions on his team, but it was long ago time to throw in the towel. Stop picking him up, people! Honestly, you'd probably be better off with Andy Dalton!
(62% owned)
RB
- C.J. Anderson is the man now in Denver.. mostly because he HAS to be! Clearly the feature back, the competition that he would have faced going forward includes such injured players as Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman. Look for Anderson to settle in to his new role (at least for the next few weeks) and start to score some TDs as he gets more comfortable with his situation.
(66% owned)
-Tre Mason was slowly being eased into the lead role in St. Louis but had a difficult schedule to contend with. His production suffered because of the struggles that the Rams were having on offense and the opponents that were put in front of them. Playing the Chargers, Raiders and Redskins over the next few weeks should take a little of the pressure from Mason and I would consider him a startable RB2 candidate for the rest of the season.
(51% owned)
- Isaiah Crowell continues to do-si-do with Terrance West for the #1 RB job in Cleveland, but at least there is one less dance partner going forward after the Browns dropped the constantly under-performing Ben Tate today. I have a hard time recommending a situation where there is not a clear lead back, however I think we are likely to see Crowell field the majority of the carries. In a game against Atlanta, it would not be surprising to see both Crowell and West play a part once again, though.
(24% owned)
- Jonas Gray was explosive and violent last week, running like Beast Mode and racking up 199 yards on 38 touches for a staggering 4 TDs. Gray has now fully captured the Stevan Ridley role in the Patriots' offense, but with that comes a caveat: namely, the Belichick will play who the Belichik wants to play (and generally not who you are expecting). Those who want to chase numbers will likely see low usage of Gray this coming week just because, though surely he has not scored his last TD.
(23% owned)
It's finally time for this guy: Charles Sims may break out in a big way this week against the Bears. Looking like the lead back for the Bucs, Sims took the most snaps and had the most production against the Redskins in week 11. Sims looks healthy and is trending up over the other RB candidates, but there is always the chance that Doug Martin comes back this week and sucks up some of the available touches - turning this into a 3-headed monster of a situation that you'll want to stay away from. Still, I'm betting that Sims ends up being productive this week against Chicago.. predicting at least 60 all-purpose yards and 1 TD.
(30% owned)
WR
- Josh Gordon is included in this list because there are some leagues out there that still don't have him rostered. Say what you will about Gordon, but he's an absolute beast on the field and should put up WR1 numbers in every match-up.
(78% owned)
- Jordan Matthews had another great game last week, putting up 5 receptions for 107 and a TD. His chemistry with Sanchez has been beneficial for both players, and although Sanchez didn't have a great game (stats aside) last week, he should be able to perform much better at home against the Titans. It's a travesty that Matthews is still not owned in every league at this point.
(63% owned)
- Cecil Shorts is a name much-mentioned around drinkfive, but this year his performance has been hampered by the success of Allen Robinson and Robinson's chemistry with new QB Bortles. Now that Robinson is out for the rest of the season with a broken foot, however, Shorts is once again thrust into the 'garbage-time' spotlight and should put up solid numbers from here on out.
(45% owned)
- Doug Baldwin looked good last week against the Chiefs, but he's just not fast enough, big enough or strong enough to really break out with consistency. He'll continue to put up numbers like 4 or 5 receptions for 50 yards and a 20-25% chance of a TD. Pick him up if you're desperate for a low-end starter or bench depth in a PPR league.
(39% owned)
- Malcolm Floyd has been playing well this season, and his production looks to continue as Rivers and Co. get their heads out of their asses and back into the game. Mathews' return should bolster the offense and give the Chargers a believeable threat on the ground again which will keep Rivers upright and his receivers productive. Floyd is a better option in a standard league than Baldwin or Landry, but Matthews, Stills and Shorts are the superior plays here if they are available.. Consider Floyd the 'Andy Dalton' of WR free agents at this point in the season. You should not go with anyone ranked lower unless desparate.
(37% owned)
- Jarvis Landry is going to give similar production as Doug Baldwin, but is not owned in as many leagues. He also has a better track record of getting in for TDs this season, scoring 3 over the last 6 weeks. A high-floor, low-ceiling PPR league play, Landry will generally score you between 8 and 14 points per week. Would consider other options in standard leagues, as his production is too dependent on touchdowns.
(16% owned)
- Brandin Cooks has been sidelined for the rest of the season with an injury to his thumb, and meanwhile all-important fantasy games leading up to the playoffs are being played. What can Cooks owners (or those just trying to get a leg up) do to offset this inury? Pick up Kenny Stills, who has been averaging 4 receptions a game and has scored 2 TDs over the past 5 weeks. His production should only increase while Cooks is recovering.
(15% owned)
Don't pick him up, he's a BUST: Kenny Britt (16% owned) had a huge game last week but can't be trusted for these important games leading up to the playoffs.
TE
-Coby Fleener filled in for Dwayne Allen after he went down with an ankle injury in week 11 and ended up having an outstanding game, catching 7 passes for 144 yards. Fleener and Allen are both talented and share the load on a weekly basis so when either one goes down, the other should have a big boost in production. The Colts play the Jaguars in week 12 which is never bad news.
(43% owned)
- Jacob Tamme is worth a look this week since Julius Thomas went down with an ankle injury against the Rams in week 11. He has proven chemistry with Peyton Manning and should be targeted at least 3 or 4 times if he starts. With Sanders and Thomas both questionable for the week 12 match-up against the Dolphins, Tamme might even end up with a TD.
(2% owned)
DST
Bills(vs. NYJ), Colts(vs. JAX), Packers(@MIN), Bears(vs. TB)
- Details
- Written by Jim Hutchins
Here are my selections for the optimal line-up in Fanduel for week 11. Note this line-up leaves $200 on the table which gives some wiggle-room if you feel obligated to swap any players out. Good luck and get that ca$h!
QB - Aaron Rodgers, GB ($10,100): I usually like to look for bargain QB's with great match-ups, but this week I'm siding with an elite QB in a game that has potential for a lot of touchdowns. Rodgers is at home against a Philadelphia defense that has already given up 19 touchdowns through the air this year; ranking 3rd worst in the league in that category. A nice bonus is that Chip Kelly loves to play hurry up all game which should give Green Bay some extra possessions on offense than they would against other teams.
RB - Mark Ingram, NO ($8,000): With Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson both sidelined again this week Ingram is up for another high volume day against the second worst rushing defense in the league. This has the set up for a perfect running back play at a decent price.
RB - Shane Vereen, NE ($6,500): The Patriots/Colts game is one that I see has potential for a lot of scoring. Besides the fact that Vereen is great at racking up points in PPR, the Colts usually do a good job at shutting down opposing wide receivers so I see Vereen getting some red zone receiving TD opportunities in this game.
WR - Kelvin Benjamin, CAR ($6,600): Benjamin was the recipient of some great garbage time fantasy points last week after being shut out for the majority of the game. I see Carolina trying to save some face by blowing out an Atlanta team that is near the bottom of the barrel for defending against the pass.
WR - Pierre Garcon, WAS ($6,500): Garcon has been very mediocre this season compared to the numbers he put up last year. With RG3 back in the lineup I expect him to start producing again and it only makes sense for that to start happening against a Tampa Bay defense giving up tons of points to opposing wide receivers. This is a bargain play with a great match-up.
WR - Jordan Matthews, PHI ($5,500): In my opinion for Fanduel tournaments it's always a good idea to combo your quarterback with an opposing teams wide receiver to hope for a high scoring game. Matthews looked to be the favorite receiver of Mark Sanchez so this should be a very cheap play with tons of upside.
TE - Julius Thomas, DEN ($7,500): When it comes to TEs I feel like you always need to play one of the big three (Gronk, Graham or Thomas). I'm playing Thomas this week solely because the other two names are just out of my salary restriction.
K - Blair Walsh, MIN ($4,500): Love this kicker play this week. Chicago is giving up the most points to opposing kickers due to their terrible defense, combine this with a Minnesota offense that isn't spectacular should mean a lot of field goal attempts for Walsh at the cheapest kicker price!
DEF - Chicago Bears ($4,600): I know I just mentioned the Bears have a terrible defense, but Minnesota ranks 29th in the league at giving up sacks which is why I like this bargain play. Always a good chance for a pick 6 when your QB is getting pressured too!
- Details
- Written by Shawn Foss
Welcome back to the Rookie Report! The season marches on another week, and the rookie WR crop spent that week showing off once again. Martavis Bryant, Jordan Matthews, Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks, Odell Beckham and John Brown each found the end zone at least once, and the party isn’t likely to end for that group. With that said, let’s dive into what to expect from the rookie crop in week 11…
Rookies to Start:
RB Jeremy Hill, CIN (Wk. 11: @NO): It’s being reported that Gio Bernard will be out yet again this week. Don’t be scared off by Hill’s lackluster performance last week. The Bengals abandoned the run far too early, and Hill was actually pretty effective when they were giving him the ball. I’d expect Cincy to get back to running the ball this week, and with Saints top corner Keenan Lewis likely out, the Bengals whole offense should run more smoothly. I expect Hill to get back into double-digit fantasy points against New Orleans.
RB Terrance West, CLE (Wk. 11: vs. Hou.): The Browns’ backfield situation is only slightly clearer than the ones in Denver and Buffalo right now, but the Texans are a bottom-10 defense against fantasy running backs and West is a very good bet to lead Cleveland in carries this week. He should be a mid-level RB2 this week with the Browns’ run-heavy scheme.
WR Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (Wk. 11: vs. SF): Beckham has been a revelation since returning from his early season hamstring issues. He’s already established himself as Eli’s go-to-guy, and he’s put up 15+ points in each of the last 3 games. The matchup isn’t an easy one, but Beckham did just carve up the Seahawks’ vaunted secondary last week, even schooling Richard Sherman downfield with a double move for a big gainer. Beckham is an every week WR2 right now.
WR Mike Evans, TB (Wk. 11: @Was.): Evans is quickly becoming the top option in the Tampa Bay offense, and it seems pretty clear that the switch to Josh McCown hasn’t hurt his output. After catching 4 balls each week for 5 games in a row, Evans has exploded for 7 catches each of the past 2 weeks with 125 and 124 yards respectively, and scored 3 TDs. It’s even more impressive when you factor in that he had a different starting QB each game. I’d expect the breakout to continue and see Evans as a safe WR2 this week.
WR Sammy Watkins, BUF (Wk. 11: @Mia.): Watkins is coming off a poor week 10 showing as he battled through a groin injury that was apparently worse than it seemed. Despite that, he’s practiced in full this week and he looks ready to roll against the ‘Phins. The matchup is tough. Brent Grimes has played like a true shutdown corner at times, but Sammy did torch Miami for an 8-117-1 line in their first matchup. I expect a bounce back from last week and see Sammy as right on the WR2/3 borderline this week.
WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (Wk. 11: vs. Atl.): Obviously, Kelvin’s stat line last Monday was garbage time aided, but the stats still count the same. He’s still seeing a mountain of targets each week and gets to face off with a Falcons’ secondary that has allowed 23.6 points per game to opposing WRs. Even if KB winds up facing off with Atlanta’s top CB Desmond Trufant all day, I still like his chances for a TD and for double-digit fantasy points. Continue to trust him in your lineup.
WR Jordan Matthews, PHI (Wk. 11: @GB): Believe in the connection between Matthews and the Sanchize. They’ve had a great chemistry since training camp, and Sanchez has already connected with J-Matt for 3 TDs in less than 2 full games at the helm. Maclin is still the clear number one WR on the Eagles, but Sanchez doesn’t take nearly as many deep shots as Foles used to, so Maclin’s numbers won’t be quite as steady as they’ve been and Matthews’s should continue to rise. Jordan should be a steady WR3 the rest of the way.
WR Martavis Bryant, PIT (Wk. 11: @Ten.): The hot streak continued for Bryant last week despite the Steelers’ embarrassing loss. This week he gets the oft-burned Blidi Wreh-Wilson who should get burned some more. I wouldn’t bet against another Martavis TD this week. Keep putting him in the lineup and reaping the rewards.
Borderline Rookies:
QB Teddy Bridgewater, MIN (Wk. 11: @Chi.): Teddy has had a reputation all year of coming up small in the best matchups. The Bears are a juicy one. They allow a league worst 20.8 points per game to opposing QBs. Despite his struggles in good matchups, I think this is the game where Teddy breaks through. The Bears’ defense is painfully predictable, and with Kyle Rudolph back, I think this will be Bridgewater’s first game with multiple passing TDs. I see him producing like a high-end QB2 Sunday.
RB Jerick McKinnon, MIN (Wk. 11: @Chi.): I hope McKinnon owners are ready to be frustrated again by Matt Asiata vulturing TDs from Jerick. The Bears’ defense has been terrible, so McKinnon should again have a strong yardage day (he’s averaged 83 yards from scrimmage in his past 3 games), but I don’t have a ton of confidence that he scores his first TD of the season. Chicago’s cover-3 defense limits the home run plays, so I would be surprised if McKinnon is able to break a long TD run.
RB Bishop Sankey, TEN (Wk. 11: vs. Pit.): There is some good news for Bishop Sankey: he’s finally emerged from the Tennessee timeshare to be the clear featured back. The bad news: he’s still not scoring TDs. He hasn’t hit paydirt since week 2, and while the Steelers can be run on, I’m not sure I see the Titans keeping this game tight and being able to run it throughout. Are you going to be happy with 80 scoreless yards from a starting RB this week? If you are, fire up Bishop.
RB Tre Mason, STL (Wk. 11: vs. Den.): Mason faces another tough matchup this week, but he did manage 81 yards from scrimmage vs. the Cardinals last week. I wouldn’t bank on much more than what he did last week, but his role certainly puts him on the RB2/flex radar.
RB Branden Oliver, SD (Wk. 11: vs. Oak.): Ryan Mathews looks ready to go for week 11, but in a matchup with the Raiders, Oliver should still have some value. He should assume the old Danny Woodhead role as a change of pace and receiving back, and he did rattle off 124 total yards and a TD the last time he faced Oakland. He’s a reasonable roll of the dice flex option.
WR Brandin Cooks, NO (Wk. 11: vs. Cin.): Cooks has been very good in the Superdome, where he plays this week. He’s put up 90+ yards and a TD in each of his last 2 home tilts, but there is a little reason for hesitation since Cincy doesn’t give up a ton of points to opposing WRs. He should still be a safe WR3 in PPR leagues, and a little less safe in standard leagues.
WR Jarvis Landry, MIA (Wk. 11: vs. Buf.): Landry remains a reasonable WR3 options in PPR leagues. He had a season-high 7 catches last week, and will continue to see a solid amount of targets each week. Ryan Tannehill still struggles to connect on the deep ball, and Landry makes his living on the short-to-intermediate stuff. He should continue to tally 5 or 6 catches just about every week.
WR Davante Adams, GB (Wk. 11: vs. Phi.): I have a hunch that Adams has a strong game this week. He was the only Packer who didn’t have a big night against the Bears, and I think Rodgers will look for Adams a bit more this week. Randall Cobb gets to tangle with Brandon Boykin, the Eagles’ toughest cover corner, which should help a few extra targets to go Davante’s way. I think he’s worth the risk as a WR3 this week, but there certainly is risk.
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TB (Wk. 11: @Was.): There was a lot of hubbub about the switch from Mike Glennon to Josh McCown, but it seems to have worked in ASJ’s favor. McCown looked in the direction of Brandon Meyers quite a bit at the start of the year, and that tight end love has carried over to the rookie. ASJ caught 5 of 9 targets for 30 yards and a score last week. He makes a decent streaming play this week against a ‘Skins defense that has allowed 9 points per game to opposing TEs.
Rookies to Sit:
QB Derek Carr, OAK (Wk. 11: @SD): Carr has been improving as the season has gone on, especially now that he’s found a safety valve in TE Mychal Rivera, but he’ll need some garbage time this week to have any QB2 appeal. The Chargers’ D hasn’t been as good as you might think, but since Andre Holmes disappeared (34 yards per game over the past 4), any chance of blowup games for Carr is pretty much off the table.
QB Zach Mettenberger, TEN (Wk. 11: vs. Pit.): Like Carr, Mett doesn’t have that tough of a matchup, but I doubt he takes advantage. Pittsburgh has a history of making rookies uncomfortable with their blitzing schemes, and Mett won’t be immune to that. I wouldn’t be excited to start Mettenberger in a 2QB league.
RB Isaiah Crowell, CLE (Wk. 11: vs. Hou.): It’s impossible to trust that the workload will be there for Crowell this week. He did score a TD last week, but he also fumbled (it wasn’t actually a fumble and was overturned on replay review) and didn’t play another snap afterward. The last time he had ball control issues, he didn’t play for the next two weeks. I don’t know if he’ll be treated similarly this time around.
RB Charles Sims, TB (Wk. 11: @Was.): I like Sims’s overall outlook, but I’m not a big fan of him for this week. He’s not getting the goal line work, and the ‘Skins are tough to run on in general. He should catch a few passes, but it likely won’t be enough to merit a spot in your lineup. His role will continue to grow, but he’s not a trustworthy start at this point.
RB Andre Williams, NYG (Wk.11: vs. SF): This is an easy call. Rashad Jennings is expected to start this week and Williams was barely a passable fantasy performer while Jennings was out. No need to consider Andre.
RB Juwan Thompson, DEN (Wk. 11: @StL.): I was right about the Broncos giving someone other than Ronnie Hillman some early game work, but I picked the wrong Denver back. It was C.J. Anderson and not Juwan Thompson who saw the extra work, and he was fantastic with the opportunities he had. Hillman is out this week, but Montee Ball is back, and both Ball and Anderson should continue to run ahead of Thompson. He won’t see enough work to be a worthwhile option.
TE Eric Ebron, DET (Wk. 11: @Ari.): Ebron should finally be back this week and the Cards do give up fantasy points to opposing tight ends, but the other 2 Lions’ tight ends should also be back. Ebron didn’t produce in weeks that the others were out, so I wouldn’t bank on him doing so with all 3 guys playing. Ebron isn’t a strong option this week.
Deep League Sleepers:
RB Carlos Hyde, SF (Wk. 11: @NYG): The 49ers re-discovered their power running game last week in a tough win over the Saints, and they would be well served to roll with that ground attack again this week. The G-Men allow the 2nd most fantasy points to opposing RBs, and I think Hyde is a decent bet to find the end zone this week. He should get a good handful of carries to spell Frank Gore.
RB Damien Williams, MIA (Wk. 11: vs. Buf.): Lamar Miller is listed as probable, but he tried playing through the injury last week and was noticeably limited by it, putting up just 6 yards on 5 carries. Williams was the only Miami back who had a decent week, and he could do so again if Miller is again limited by the injury. If you are desperate and scouring the waiver wire for a playable running back in a deep league, Williams is worth a dart throw.
WR John Brown, ARI (Wk. 11: vs. Det.): The Lions are the best defense in the league against opposing WRs, but the arrow is pointing up for John Brown for the rest of the season. He had a real connection with Drew Stanton when Drew started games earlier in the season, and Stanton takes more downfield shots than Carson Palmer. If you’re desperate for a WR, Brown just needs one deep ball to be worth a roll of the dice play.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you to fantasy victory. As always: good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.
- Details
- Written by Tad Bukowski
Not too much to talk about this week – other than we hit on the top six lines last week. That is definitely worth mentioning.
No time to waste! Week 11! LET’S GO!!
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
14 – SAN DIEGO over Oakland – The Raiders get a rematch of the game that they came closest to winning. Unfortunately it’s now on the road against a fresh Chargers squad.
13 – Denver over ST LOUIS – Denver showed last week what they can do when they turn on the juice. The Rams just don’t have the offense to keep up with the Broncos.
12 – WASHINGTON over Tampa Bay – This is definitely more confidence in a team losing than a team winning. Tampa has showed us this year that changes are needed again. This time, make it more than just the uniforms!
11 – NEW ORLEANS over Cincinnati – Boy oh boy what has happened to the Bengals? It’s gotten so bad that it seems the old “Bungles” name may need to be dusted off and brought back out. Like the Rams against Denver, the Bung…no, not yet…the Bengals just don’t seem to have the offensive fire power needed to keep up with the Saints in the dome.
10 – MIAMI over Buffalo – The week starts with an AFC East matchup that may have the most meaning since the old Jim Kelly vs Dan Marino days. Both teams are fighting for a playoff spot and the Dolphins should be able to take advantage of playing at home.
9 – GREEN BAY over Philadelphia – A lot of the Eagles success can be attributed to points put on the board by their defense and special teams. Aaron Rodgers won’t give Philly the opportunity.
8 – CLEVELAND over Houston – Cleveland needed a big road division win last week and they got it. Look for them to use that momentum to top a team starting a new quarterback.
7 – Pittsburgh over TENNESSEE – The Steelers were brought back down to earth in a big way in New York last week. It is hard for me to think the Pittsburgh can lose two straight against a lowly opponent, even if it is another road game.
6 – KANSAS CITY over Seattle – The champs simply have not been playing like the champs as of late. They almost lost to the Raiders and Giants at home in consecutive weeks and now have to go on the road to one of the toughest stadiums to play in. This week’s BOLD PREDICTION is that the Seahawks will NOT make the playoffs this year.
5 – Detroit over ARIZONA – Detroit heads to the desert at a very opportune time. Carson Palmer led the Cards to the best record in the NFL, signed a $50 million extension, and then tore his ACL days later. Drew Stanton won’t be able to keep up with a healthy Calvin and friends.
4 – CAROLINA over Atlanta – Everybody is wondering what is going on with Cam these days. He’s been struggling, but still should be able to pull out a home win against a weak Falcons offense.
3 – INDIANAPOLIS over New England – Wouldn’t be surprised to see this as the AFC Championship this year. Andrew Luck has been the MVP so far this year and to take the next step, he needs to win big games like this.
2 – NEW YORK GIANTS over San Francisco – Two straight weeks of the 49ers traveling to the eastern half of the country, this time all the way to Jersey, will prove to be too much.
1 – Minnesota over CHICAGO – Give me one good reason why I should have any confidence in the Bears right now? It’s a home game? Nope! They haven’t won a game at Soldier Field yet!
- Details
- Written by David Biggs
QB
- Mark Sanchez played well on Monday Night Football, letting us all know that he's an upside QB1 for the rest of the year. He ended up with 332 yards, 2 TDs and 0 interceptions which are respectable numbers for any QB.. much less the inimitable butt fumblers. Sanchez will try as hard as he can over the next few weeks to put his past with the Jets behind him and take advantage of the fast-paced offense he finds himself in control of in Philadelphia.
(45% owned)
- Teddy Bridgewater has yet to throw more than 1 TD pass in a game this year, but is slowly gaining composure in the pocket and chemistry with his teammates. Still, he has been averaging about 250 yards and a TD with 0 interceptions over the past two games and is up against the Redskins this week, who have allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to QBs so far this season. If there is any week to play Bridgewater as a fill-in or in a 2 QB league, it's this week.
(7% owned)
- Drew Stanton will be taking over for Carson Palmer after it was confirmed that Palmer tore his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. Stanton has been a more than capable backup for several teams and should be able to excel in Bruce Arian's offense. Unfortunately his upside is not comparable to what Palmer's was, but he should be a serviceable QB2 all season for fantasy teams.
(2% owned)
WR
- Andrew Hawkins was picking up steam when he was injured recently but looks to get back on track this week against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So far this season they have given up the most fantasy points to WRs and - since Cleveland has been playing well - that doesn't look to change anytime soon. If Hawkins suits up this week, he could be a beast - especially in PPR leagues. His value long-term may be nice as well since Gordon's heralded comeback will take some much-needed pressure from Hawkins.
(38% owned)
- Jordan Matthews caught 2 TDs on Monday Night Football on 7 receptions for 138 yards. Great numbers, Jordan. As rookies go, the class this year has been terrific to watch. While Matthews may have had some unproductive games earlier in the year, he did average about 5 receptions per game so far this season including another 2 TD performance in week 3 against the Redskins. Without a doubt, Sanchez has been comfortable targeting Matthews early and often and as long as they're winning games, why would that change?
(28% owned)
- Jarvis Landry was my secret dolphin pick last week, and he performed well by PPR standards (7rec for 53 yds). Since he has only scored 2 TDs all season and it doesn't look like that will be changing anytime soon, Landry is solely a PPR WR3/4.. but he is a good bet to score you 10 points each week and should be owned in all PPR leagues as a bye week replacement for this reason.
(11% owned)
- John Brown is the high-risk upside player that you may or may not have been looking for. 5rec for 119yds and a TD in week 8 and 5rec for 73yds and a TD in week 10 tells us that he can compete out there with the best of them, but Arizona's confounding love of spreading the ball around can sometimes stymie the best of us. Kenny Stills? Justin Hunter? Yeah, Brown is right up that alley and should continue to perform in that regard. Roll the dice if you don't have enough other good options.
(4% owned)
RB
- C.J. Anderson was the primary ball-carrier for the Broncos on Sunday and as we know, whoever holds that position has all of the opportunities in the world for fantasy production on a week-to-week basis. Since Hillman is out for at least two weeks, and Ball was not exactly performing at a high level even when he was healthy, Anderson may well get the chance to showcase his talents again in week 11 against the Rams. They are a tough defense, especially lately, but the Broncos (and C.J. Anderson) don't care.
(11% owned)
- Theo Riddick is a name that I've heard called a lot this season, especially when I'm playing either Joique Bell or Reggie Bush in my fantasy lineup. We talk a lot about 3-headed (or more) RBBC's and how frustrating they can be on a weekly basis for fantasy owners.. but I'm not sure this is going to be one of them. It looks to me like Bell has been under-performing and Bush has has lingering issues going into the last half of the regular season that may well continue. All of this means that Riddick will - at least for a short time - be the recipient of a lot of work in the backfield. My money is on 5+ reception for 50+ yards and a TD in week 11 even against a stingy Cardinals' defense.
(6% owned)
Do yourself a favor, and don't mess around with Anthony (Boobie) Dixon or Bryce Brown in the coming weeks. Fred Jackson will eventually feel better, but even until then they will all be out there on the field. Listen, if you have the opportunity to avoid frustration please take it. That's like boarding a boat that has a 33% chance to capsize. If you choose not to take my advice, bring a life raft.. or at least a stiff drink.
TE
- Kyle Rudolph has been injured for quite a while, but a little birdie told me that he'll be back soon. The Vikings have admittedly struggled a little bit without the talents of Rudolph and are surely eager to have those extra receptions and red-zone targets back in the offense. He's not a pick up to play against the Bears specifically.. more like a playoff-run stash, but if he does play on Sunday I would start him without question.
(32% owned)
- Mychal Rivera jumped for 3% to 34% owned this week, and for good reason. As Derek Carr's new toy in the Raiders' get-it-out-quick offense, Rivera has been racking up the receptions in the past three weeks, averaging 7 a game along with a TD. As long as these two are on the same team, Rivera is a low-end top 10 TE for me each week. Grab him before he's gone.
(34% owned)
I'd be remiss if I neglected to mention Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who had a great game in week 10 with 5rec for 30yds and a TD. The Bucs have been using him all year fairly sparingly but that will likely change with McCown taking back the reigns.. we can probably count on a few more receptions per game as the dump-off target with upside. This huge target will always be a threat in the red-zone as well and is a good bye week fill-in if your other options are exhausted.
Defense / Special Teams
Dolphins(vs. BUF), Chargers(vs. OAK), Browns(vs. HOU), Redskins(vs. TB), Broncos(@STL), Cardinals(vs. DET)
The Bears, Packers and Bills are also good choices for week 11.