Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings


Below are Week 17 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.

Quarterback


1 Cam Newton, Carolina at Atlanta
2 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay vs. Detroit ...Rodgers tweaked his calf but in this must win game have to assume he will playing with it all on the line
3 Matt Ryan, Atlanta vs. Carolina ...Atlanta vs. Carolina for the NFC South
4 Peyton Manning, Denver vs. Oakland
5 Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia
6 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis at Tennessee ...What an epic Week 16 fantasy football letdown from Andrew Luck. The Colts are locked in as the #4 seed in the AFC with nothing to play for in Week 17 other than getting back in a groove
7 Drew Brees, New Orleans at Tampa Bay ...How will the Saints play (take out their frustrations or pack it in) after being eliminated from the playoffs last week
8 Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. St. Louis
9 Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
10 Ryan Tannehill, Miami vs. N.Y. Jets
11 Matthew Stafford, Detroit at Green Bay
12 Tom Brady, New England vs. Buffalo ...Expect the Patriots starters to open the game but they have the AFC #1 seed secure and will likely sit somewhat early (although Bill Belichick has shown a tendency to play his starters in previous years)
13 Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota vs. Chicago
14 Robert Griffin III, Washington vs. Dallas
15 Andy Dalton, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
16 Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco vs. Arizona
17 Josh McCown, Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans
18 Tony Romo, Dallas at Washington ...Dallas has won the NFC East so Romo may sit early but he could tear it up before that as Washington allows the most points to opposing QBs
19 Philip Rivers, San Diego at Kansas City
20 Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants


Running Back

1 Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
2 Arian Foster, Houston vs. Jacksonville
3 C.J. Anderson, Denver vs. Oakland
4 Jamaal Charles, Kansas City vs. San Diego
5 Matt Forte, Chicago at Minnesota
6 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle vs. St. Louis
7 Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
8 Eddie Lacy, Green Bay vs. Detroit
9 LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
10 Joique Bell, Detroit at Green Bay
11 Justin Forsett, Baltimore vs. Cleveland
12 Mark Ingram, New Orleans at Tampa Bay ...Ingram needs 93 yards for a 1,000-yard rushing season and I bet he gets it
13 Fred Jackson, Buffalo at New England
14 Andre Williams, N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia
15 Matt Asiata, Minnesota vs. Chicago
16 Jonathan Stewart, Carolina at Atlanta
17 Alfred Morris, Washington vs. Dallas
18 Dan Herron, Indianapolis at Tennessee
19 Latavius Murray, Oakland at Denver
20 Lamar Miller, Miami vs. N.Y. Jets ...Miller finished as the #1 RB last week, and needs 79 rushing yards to crack 1,000 for the season
21 Reggie Bush, Detroit at Green Bay
22 Devonta Freeman, Atlanta vs. Carolina ...Freeman could draw the start with Steven Jackson battling a quad injury
23 DeMarco Murray, Dallas at Washington ...Expect Murray to be rested this week at some point after Dallas won the NFC East last week
24 Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
25 Doug Martin, Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans
26 Branden Oliver, San Diego at Kansas City
27 Frank Gore, San Francisco vs. Arizona
28 Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland at Baltimore
29 Joseph Randle, Dallas at Washington
30 Tre Mason, St. Louis at Seattle


Wide Receivers

1 Jordy Nelson, Green Bay vs. Detroit
2 Odell Beckham Jr. , N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia
3 Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Oakland
4 Randall Cobb, Green Bay vs. Detroit
5 Julio Jones, Atlanta vs. Carolina
6 Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
7 Calvin Johnson, Detroit at Green Bay
8 Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina at Atlanta
9 A.J. Green, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh ...Green injured his arm last week and needs to be monitored but he should be able to go
10 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans
11 Emmanuel Sanders, Denver vs. Oakland
12 Roddy White, Atlanta vs. Carolina
13 Dez Bryant, Dallas at Washington
14 Golden Tate, Detroit at Green Bay
15 Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans
16 Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
17 Alshon Jeffery, Chicago at Minnesota
18 Kenny Stills, New Orleans at Tampa Bay
19 T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis at Tennessee
20 Mike Wallace, Miami vs. N.Y. Jets ...Wallace is 138 yards away from a 1,000-yard season
21 Charles Johnson, Minnesota vs. Chicago
22 DeSean Jackson, Washington vs. Dallas
23 Andre Johnson, Houston vs. Jacksonville
24 Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
25 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston vs. Jacksonville
26 Marques Colston, New Orleans at Tampa Bay
27 Rueben Randle, N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia
28 Brandon LaFell, New England vs. Buffalo
29 Sammy Watkins, Buffalo at New England
30 Steve Smith, Baltimore vs. Cleveland
31 Josh Gordon, Cleveland at Baltimore
32 Eddie Royal, San Diego at Kansas City
33 Torrey Smith, Baltimore vs. Cleveland
34 Greg Jennings, Minnesota vs. Chicago
35 Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets at Miami
36 Robert Woods, Buffalo at New England
37 Julian Edelman, New England vs. Buffalo
38 Jarvis Landry, Miami vs. N.Y. Jets
39 Pierre Garcon, Washington vs. Dallas
40 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco vs. Arizona
41 Marqise Lee, Jacksonville at Houston
42 Michael Crabtree, San Francisco vs. Arizona
43 Doug Baldwin, Seattle vs. St. Louis
44 Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
45 Malcom Floyd, San Diego at Kansas City
46 Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis at Tennessee
47 Marquess Wilson, Chicago at Minnesota
48 Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
49 Riley Cooper, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
50 Stedman Bailey, St. Louis at Seattle


Tight End

1 Jimmy Graham, New Orleans at Tampa Bay
2 Greg Olsen, Carolina at Atlanta
3 Rob Gronkowski, New England vs. Buffalo
4 Martellus Bennett, Chicago at Minnesota
5 Julius Thomas, Denver vs. Oakland
6 Delanie Walker, Tennessee vs. Indianapolis
7 Antonio Gates, San Diego at Kansas City
8 Travis Kelce, Kansas City vs. San Diego
9 Jordan Cameron, Cleveland at Baltimore
10 Zach Ertz, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
11 Charles Clay, Miami vs. N.Y. Jets
12 Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia
13 Mychal Rivera, Oakland at Denver
14 Heath Miller, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
15 Jason Witten, Dallas at Washington
16 Coby Fleener, Indianapolis at Tennessee
17 Eric Ebron, Detroit at Green Bay
18 Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis at Tennessee
19 Luke Willson, Seattle vs. St. Louis
20 Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh



Kicker

1 Randy Bullock, Houston vs. Jacksonville
2 Steven Hauschka, Seattle vs. St. Louis
3 Connor Barth, Denver vs. Oakland
4 Stephen Gostkowski, New England vs. Buffalo
5 Matt Bryant, Atlanta vs. Carolina
6 Mason Crosby, Green Bay vs. Detroit
7 Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis at Tennessee
8 Justin Tucker, Baltimore vs. Cleveland
9 Cody Parkey, Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
10 Graham Gano, Carolina at Atlanta
11 Blair Walsh, Minnesota vs. Chicago
12 Matt Prater, Detroit at Green Bay
13 Caleb Sturgis, Miami vs. N.Y. Jets
14 Dan Bailey, Dallas at Washington
15 Shayne Graham, New Orleans at Tampa Bay
16 Cairo Santos, Kansas City vs. San Diego
17 Josh Brown, N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia
18 Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
19 Nick Novak, San Diego at Kansas City
20 Dan Carpenter, Buffalo at New England



Defense

1 Houston DT, vs. Jacksonville 
2 Seattle DT, vs. St. Louis 
3 Baltimore DT, vs. Cleveland 
4 New England DT, vs. Buffalo 
5 Miami DT, vs. N.Y. Jets 
6 Minnesota DT, vs. Chicago 
7 New York Giants DT, vs. Philadelphia 
8 Green Bay DT, vs. Detroit 
9 San Francisco DT, vs. Arizona 
10 Indianapolis DT, at Tennessee 
11 Dallas DT, at Washington 
12 Denver DT, vs. Oakland 
13 Kansas City DT, vs. San Diego 
14 Pittsburgh DT, vs. Cincinnati 
15 Carolina DT, at Atlanta 
16 Arizona DT, at San Francisco 
17 Philadelphia DT, at N.Y. Giants 
18 San Diego DT, at Kansas City 
19 New Orleans DT, at Tampa Bay 
20 Buffalo DT, at New England 
   
Please check out  Fantasy Football Warehouse for my full Week 17 fantasy football rankings. 

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Week 16 Fantasy Football Rankings


Below are Week 16 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.

Quarterback


1 Drew Brees, New Orleans vs. Atlanta
2 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis at Dallas
3 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay at Tampa Bay
4 Matt Ryan, Atlanta at New Orleans
5 Peyton Manning, Denver at Cincinnati 
6 Matthew Stafford, Detroit at Chicago ...Stafford's point totals bounce around more than you'd like but no one allows more fantasy points to opposing QBs than the Bears (Stafford passed for 390 yards and 2 TDs in Week 12 against the Bears and had 3 TDs last year at Chicago)
7 Tom Brady, New England at N.Y. Jets
8 Tony Romo, Dallas vs. Indianapolis
9 Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City
10 Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia at Washington
11 Russell Wilson, Seattle at Arizona
12 Ryan Tannehill, Miami vs. Minnesota
13 Robert Griffin III, Washington vs. Philadelphia
14 Cam Newton, Carolina vs. Cleveland ...This ranking assumes Cam returns this week after last week's scary-looking car accident
15 Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants at St. Louis
16 Josh McCown, Tampa Bay vs. Green Bay
17 Philip Rivers, San Diego at San Francisco
18 Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota at Miami ...Against the Jets and Lions, Bridgewater comes into Week 16 with a two-game streak of 300-yard games
19 Joe Flacco, Baltimore at Houston
20 Kyle Orton, Buffalo at Oakland


Running Back

1 Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City
2 Eddie Lacy, Green Bay at Tampa Bay
3 C.J. Anderson, Denver at Cincinnati 
4 Jamaal Charles, Kansas City at Pittsburgh
5 Arian Foster, Houston vs. Baltimore ...Foster and the Texans square off against former Head Coach Gary Kubiak now with the Ravens, although Baltimore allows the least fantasy points to opposing running backs
6 Matt Forte, Chicago vs. Detroit
7 Joique Bell, Detroit at Chicago
8 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle at Arizona
9 DeMarco Murray, Dallas vs. Indianapolis ...Murray has a broken bone in his non-carrying hand, his status for Week 16 is TBD 
10 Justin Forsett, Baltimore at Houston
11 Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati vs. Denver
12 LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia at Washington ...Sheesh - three rushing TDs last week and none of them could go McCoy's way (he has just 4 TDs on the season)
13 Mark Ingram, New Orleans vs. Atlanta ...Ingram is splitting a lot of work but Atlanta allows the most fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs
14 Tre Mason, St. Louis vs. N.Y. Giants
15 Fred Jackson, Buffalo at Oakland
16 Steven Jackson, Atlanta at New Orleans
17 Jonathan Stewart, Carolina vs. Cleveland
18 Doug Martin, Tampa Bay vs. Green Bay
19 Pierre Thomas, New Orleans vs. Atlanta
20 Latavius Murray, Oakland vs. Buffalo
21 Joseph Randle, Dallas vs. Indianapolis ...Randle will likely draw the start (and should be effective) if DeMarco Murray can't go but either way he should have an expanded role
22 Dan Herron, Indianapolis at Dallas
23 Matt Asiata, Minnesota at Miami
24 Shane Vereen, New England at N.Y. Jets
25 Alfred Morris, Washington vs. Philadelphia
26 Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati vs. Denver
27 Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
28 Andre Williams, N.Y. Giants at St. Louis
29 Lamar Miller, Miami vs. Minnesota ...Miller needs 171 yards rushing over the last two games to join the 1K club
30 LeGarrette Blount, New England at N.Y. Jets


Wide Receivers

1 Calvin Johnson, Detroit at Chicago
2 Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City
3 Jordy Nelson, Green Bay at Tampa Bay
4 Odell Beckham Jr. , N.Y. Giants at St. Louis
5 Demaryius Thomas, Denver at Cincinnati 
6 Julio Jones, Atlanta at New Orleans ...Jones (hip) missed last week but the Falcons say he will play in Week 16
7 Dez Bryant, Dallas vs. Indianapolis ...Dez will likely go against Vontae Davis but it's talent versus talent
8 A.J. Green, Cincinnati vs. Denver
9 Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia at Washington
10 Randall Cobb, Green Bay at Tampa Bay
11 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay vs. Green Bay
12 T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis at Dallas ...Hilton (mild hamstring tweak) will need to be monitored but he sounds to be okay
13 Julian Edelman, New England at N.Y. Jets
14 Emmanuel Sanders, Denver at Cincinnati 
15 Golden Tate, Detroit at Chicago
16 Roddy White, Atlanta at New Orleans
17 Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina vs. Cleveland
18 Alshon Jeffery, Chicago vs. Detroit ...Jeffery has scored now in five straight games and has a new career high with 9 TDs on the season, can he keep that going with Jimmy Clausen under center?
19 Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay vs. Green Bay
20 Marques Colston, New Orleans vs. Atlanta
21 Kenny Stills, New Orleans vs. Atlanta
22 Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia at Washington ...Going to give Matthews some benefit of the doubt but he is off an ugly zero-catch game
23 Charles Johnson, Minnesota at Miami
24 Steve Smith, Baltimore at Houston
25 Mike Wallace, Miami vs. Minnesota
26 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston vs. Baltimore ...Hard to not ding Hopkins with the Texans' quarterback options signed off the street after all these injuries
27 Sammy Watkins, Buffalo at Oakland
28 Josh Gordon, Cleveland at Carolina
29 Brandon LaFell, New England at N.Y. Jets
30 DeSean Jackson, Washington vs. Philadelphia ...Jackson (fibula) will need to be monitored for Week 16, you have to like the match-up for Jackson against his former team will always be added incentive
31 Nate Washington, Tennessee at Jacksonville ...Over the last month, Washington has quietly been the 24th best fantasy receiver
32 Jarvis Landry, Miami vs. Minnesota
33 Andre Johnson, Houston vs. Baltimore ...Johnson (concussion) is expected to return this week
34 Pierre Garcon, Washington vs. Philadelphia
35 Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets vs. New England
36 Malcom Floyd, San Diego at San Francisco
37 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco vs. San Diego
38 Harry Douglas, Atlanta at New Orleans
39 Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis at Dallas
40 Torrey Smith, Baltimore at Houston
41 Stedman Bailey, St. Louis vs. N.Y. Giants
42 Eddie Royal, San Diego at San Francisco
43 Percy Harvin, N.Y. Jets vs. New England
44 Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City
45 Robert Woods, Buffalo at Oakland
46 Michael Crabtree, San Francisco vs. San Diego
47 Allen Hurns, Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
48 Greg Jennings, Minnesota at Miami
49 Marqise Lee, Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
50 Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati vs. Denver


Tight End
1 Rob Gronkowski, New England at N.Y. Jets
2 Jimmy Graham, New Orleans vs. Atlanta
3 Greg Olsen, Carolina vs. Cleveland
4 Martellus Bennett, Chicago vs. Detroit
5 Julius Thomas, Denver at Cincinnati 
6 Travis Kelce, Kansas City at Pittsburgh
7 Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis at Dallas
8 Delanie Walker, Tennessee at Jacksonville
9 Antonio Gates, San Diego at San Francisco
10 Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota at Miami
11 Eric Ebron, Detroit at Chicago
12 Coby Fleener, Indianapolis at Dallas
13 Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants at St. Louis
14 Jared Cook, St. Louis vs. N.Y. Giants
15 Jason Witten, Dallas vs. Indianapolis
16 Mychal Rivera, Oakland vs. Buffalo
17 Jordan Cameron, Cleveland at Carolina
18 Heath Miller, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City
19 Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati vs. Denver
20 Owen Daniels, Baltimore at Houston


Kicker

1 Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis at Dallas
2 Mason Crosby, Green Bay at Tampa Bay
3 Stephen Gostkowski, New England at N.Y. Jets
4 Cody Parkey, Philadelphia at Washington
5 Connor Barth, Denver at Cincinnati 
6 Steven Hauschka, Seattle at Arizona
7 Matt Prater, Detroit at Chicago
8 Shayne Graham, New Orleans vs. Atlanta
9 Justin Tucker, Baltimore at Houston
10 Dan Bailey, Dallas vs. Indianapolis
11 Graham Gano, Carolina vs. Cleveland
12 Matt Bryant, Atlanta at New Orleans
13 Dan Carpenter, Buffalo at Oakland
14 Caleb Sturgis, Miami vs. Minnesota
15 Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City
16 Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis vs. N.Y. Giants
17 Josh Brown, N.Y. Giants at St. Louis
18 Cairo Santos, Kansas City at Pittsburgh
19 Blair Walsh, Minnesota at Miami
20 Phil Dawson, San Francisco vs. San Diego



Defense
1 Baltimore DT, at Houston 
2 Seattle DT, at Arizona 
3 Detroit DT, at Chicago 
4 New England DT, at N.Y. Jets 
5 Philadelphia DT, at Washington 
6 Carolina DT, vs. Cleveland 
7 Buffalo DT, at Oakland 
8 Green Bay DT, at Tampa Bay 
9 Miami DT, vs. Minnesota 
10 St. Louis DT, vs. N.Y. Giants 
11 Houston DT, vs. Baltimore 
12 Minnesota DT, at Miami 
13 New York Giants DT, at St. Louis 
14 Jacksonville DT, vs. Tennessee 
15 Tennessee DT, at Jacksonville 
16 Arizona DT, vs. Seattle 
17 Pittsburgh DT, vs. Kansas City 
18 Cleveland DT, at Carolina 
19 Indianapolis DT, at Dallas 
20 Denver DT, at Cincinnati   
   
Please check out  Fantasy Football Warehouse for my full Week 16 fantasy football rankings. 

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Week 16 fantasy football moves to make now


Fantasy Super Bowl week is here in many leagues so hopefully you are ready to roll with an impenetrable lineup for the title but there still could be a missing piece to fill in - here are the potential pickups heading into Week 16. 

The waiver wire pickup of the week has to be Joseph Randle (Dallas). It's still up in the air however if star DeMarco Murray will be able to play or not after fracturing a bone in his hand (non-carrying). The latest update is Murray will try to go and he can't make the injury worse. Either way, Randle is an important addition this week, particularly if you have Murray. 

C.J. Spiller (Buffalo) is cleared to return from the in-season Injured Reserve tag. Who knows how much he will be used - you would think he would get eased in - although at Oakland is tempting and Spiller will have fresh legs. If he's on the field, Spiller could be a flier and either way is worth adding this week. 

Toby Gerhart (Jacksonville) was a popular pick before the start of the season based on his opportunity. The season-ending injury to Denard Robinson has made Gerhart somewhat relevant again, and he could be a surprisingly decent play in Week 16 against the porous Titans' defense. 

Kerwynn Williams (Arizona) has shown some quickness his first two weeks in live NFL action, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He would be a desperation play though still this week against the Seahawks plus with the Cardinals down to Ryan Lindley at quarterback. 

The chances on hitting certainly aren't great, but Chris Polk (Philadelphia) is off a 2-TD game (and all he had was two carries). Polk could hit for a score again this week and maybe he gets some junk-time work if Philadelphia gets up big against Washington. 

Now with both Zach Mettenberger and Jake Locker done for the season in Tennessee, Charlie Whitehurst will be called into action. At Jacksonville might provide a fair fantasy day leaving Whitehurst to deliver some value in two-quarterback leagues. Whitehurst has been relatively efficient this season, passing for 967 yards with 5 TDs to just 2 INTs. 

Sticking with Tennessee, Nate Washington is likely undervalued this week and could be on waivers in your league. The Titans are down to Washington as their prime option at receiver (Washington had 10 targets last week) and over the last month, Washington has quietly been the 24th best fantasy receiver. 

Harry Douglas (Atlanta) is on the waiver-wire in some leagues and he will be a great option this week if Julio Jones is out again. This week's game will be a dome match-up at New Orleans in what should be a shoot-out. In what was a low-scoring Week 15, Douglas finished as the 4th best fantasy receiver. 

Andre Holmes (Oakland) has settled into a main role (although starting a Raiders' receiver in Week 16 is a different story, especially after seeing how Buffalo shut down Green Bay this past week). Holmes has 33 targets over the last four games. 

Rookie Paul Richardson (Seattle) scored his first NFL touchdown this week and should continue to see his involvement in the offense grow some. At Arizona this week, the Cardinals rank 29th against the pass while 6th against the run so perhaps Richardson sneaks in another touchdown. 

Albert Wilson (Kansas City) barley registered a blip on the radar through the first 14 weeks, receiving a total of four targets during that time. However, Wilson has started the last two weeks and received 13 targets. He's a low end option but Wilson made a couple of nice plays last week and is carving out a role in the slot for the Chiefs. 

I mentioned Nick Toon (New Orleans) last week and he continues to stay involved. Toon now has 13 receptions for 147 yards and one touchdown over the last three weeks. The Saints will go against Atlanta this week with the division on the line – and Atlanta is dead last in passing yards against this season. 

The Panthers Defense could be a sneaky add this week – and for local Panther fans who wouldn't want extra incentive to root for the Panthers defense this week. Getting to go against Johnny Manziel has to feel enticing at least after his debacle debut as a starter. I admit, I thought Manziel would generate some fantasy stats but that game was over before it got started. The Browns ran just 38 offensive plays, the fewest by any team this season and the fewest for a Browns team since 1999. Statistically it was the worst first career start for any quarterback in the last five years. 

Other fantasy notes 
Jeremy Hill (Cincinnati) delivered on his sleeper status last week with 152 total yards and 2 TDs. In the three games that the Bengals have featured Hill as their primary back, Hill has averaged 25.3 carries per game and delivered 151 rushing yards per game with 4 TDs. Hill needs 133 yards to crack 1,000 as a rookie and remains a must start (although against Denver this week who rank 2nd against the run is a tough draw). 

It will be hard to trust the Bears' passing game after the showing on Monday Night, but Alshon Jeffery has scored now in five straight games and has a new career high with 9 TDs on the season. 

Are we about to see the end of two legends at running back? Both Frank Gore (San Francisco) and Steven Jackson (St. Louis) will be 32 years old before next season. Gore is in the final year of his contract while Jackson has one year left (but he could be a cap casualty). Jackson is the NFL active leading rushing leader with 11,379 career rushing yards (16th all-time) while Gore is the 2nd active leading rusher with 10,771 rushing yards (21st best all-time). 

How will these remarkable rookie receivers end up will be an interesting sub-plot over the final two weeks. This week the Giants' Odell Beckham Jr. (972), Panthers' Kelvin Benjamin (952) and Bucs' Mike Evans (948) should all pass 1,000 receiving yards for their rookie season. In the last 20 years, only 8 receivers have reached the 1,000 mark in their first NFL season (most recently Keenan Allen last year and A.J. Green in 2011). There have never been two receivers to do it, let alone three (and there is an outside chance that the Bills' Sammy Watkins makes it four, although he needs 150 yards in two games). 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Week 15 Fantasy Football Rankings


Below are Week 15 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.


Quarterback

1 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis vs. Houston ...Luck is averaging 334 yards per game and is on pace for 5,348 yards – Luck needs to average an extra 33 yards per game to break the single-season record of 5,477 Peyton Manning set last year
2 Peyton Manning, Denver at San Diego ...
3 Drew Brees, New Orleans at Chicago ...Chicago allows the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks
4 Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh at Atlanta
5 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay at Buffalo
6 Matthew Stafford, Detroit vs. Minnesota
7 Jay Cutler, Chicago vs. New Orleans
8 Matt Ryan, Atlanta vs. Pittsburgh ...Pittsburgh has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks over the last three weeks
9 Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia vs. Dallas
10 Tom Brady, New England vs. Miami
11 Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants vs. Washington
12 Tony Romo, Dallas at Philadelphia
13 Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. San Francisco
14 Philip Rivers, San Diego vs. Denver
15 Johnny Manziel, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati ...The Johnny Manziel era is set to start
16 Josh McCown, Tampa Bay at Carolina
17 Joe Flacco, Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
18 Ryan Tannehill, Miami at New England
19 Kyle Orton, Buffalo vs. Green Bay
20 Ryan Fitzpatrick, Houston at Indianapolis 


Running Back

1 Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh at Atlanta ...Bell has had the best three-game stretch since Walter Payton while Atlanta allows the most fantasy points to opposing running backs
2 Matt Forte, Chicago vs. New Orleans
3 Arian Foster, Houston at Indianapolis
4 Jamaal Charles, Kansas City vs. Oakland ...It's a dream match-up, although Charles left Week 14 with an ankle injury and will need to be monitored
5 DeMarco Murray, Dallas at Philadelphia ...Murray needs to average 144 rushing yards in his last five games for a 2,000-yard season
6 C.J. Anderson, Denver at San Diego
7 LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia vs. Dallas
8 Joique Bell, Detroit vs. Minnesota
9 Justin Forsett, Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
10 Eddie Lacy, Green Bay at Buffalo
11 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle vs. San Francisco
12 Mark Ingram, New Orleans at Chicago
13 Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
14 Fred Jackson, Buffalo vs. Green Bay
15 LeGarrette Blount, New England vs. Miami
16 Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati at Cleveland ...This is some speculation from Bengals' camp that Hill will get a bigger workload
17 Latavius Murray, Oakland at Kansas City ...Can Murray replicate what he did just two weeks ago against the Chiefs?!
18 Jonathan Stewart, Carolina vs. Tampa Bay ...Stewart has averaged over 7 yards per carry the last two weeks although losing Cam Newton this week could make Stewart less effective
19 Rashad Jennings, N.Y. Giants vs. Washington
20 Dan Herron, Indianapolis vs. Houston
21 Tre Mason, St. Louis vs. Arizona
22 Chris Johnson, N.Y. Jets at Tennessee ...Johnson gets a huge grudge re-match going back to Tennessee
23 Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati at Cleveland
24 Steven Jackson, Atlanta vs. Pittsburgh
25 Darren Sproles, Philadelphia vs. Dallas
26 Alfred Morris, Washington at N.Y. Giants
27 Shane Vereen, New England vs. Miami
28 Pierre Thomas, New Orleans at Chicago
29 Doug Martin, Tampa Bay at Carolina
30 Terrance West, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati


Wide Receivers

1 Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh at Atlanta
2 Odell Beckham Jr. , N.Y. Giants vs. Washington
3 T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis vs. Houston
4 Demaryius Thomas, Denver at San Diego
5 Calvin Johnson, Detroit vs. Minnesota
6 Alshon Jeffery, Chicago vs. New Orleans
7 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay at Carolina
8 Jordy Nelson, Green Bay at Buffalo
9 Dez Bryant, Dallas at Philadelphia
10 Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia vs. Dallas
11 Randall Cobb, Green Bay at Buffalo
12 Emmanuel Sanders, Denver at San Diego
13 Julio Jones, Atlanta vs. Pittsburgh ...Jones injured his hip last week and will likely be questionable for Week 15
14 A.J. Green, Cincinnati at Cleveland
15 Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina vs. Tampa Bay
16 Sammy Watkins, Buffalo vs. Green Bay ...Green Bay allows the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers over the last three weeks
17 Julian Edelman, New England vs. Miami
18 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston at Indianapolis
19 Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay at Carolina
20 Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia vs. Dallas
21 Roddy White, Atlanta vs. Pittsburgh
22 Golden Tate, Detroit vs. Minnesota
23 Keenan Allen, San Diego vs. Denver ...Allen is a notorious Broncos' killer
24 Kenny Stills, New Orleans at Chicago
25 Josh Gordon, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
26 Charles Johnson, Minnesota at Detroit
27 Steve Smith, Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
28 Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis vs. Houston
29 DeSean Jackson, Washington at N.Y. Giants ...Jackson (fibula) will need to be monitored for Week 15 and he missed Week 14
30 Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh at Atlanta
31 Marques Colston, New Orleans at Chicago
32 Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets at Tennessee
33 Jarvis Landry, Miami at New England
34 Brandon LaFell, New England vs. Miami
35 Pierre Garcon, Washington at N.Y. Giants
36 Robert Woods, Buffalo vs. Green Bay
37 Malcom Floyd, San Diego vs. Denver
38 Marquess Wilson, Chicago vs. New Orleans ...Wilson is set to replace Brandon Marshall as the starter with Marshall out for the year
39 Eddie Royal, San Diego vs. Denver
40 Nate Washington, Tennessee vs. N.Y. Jets
41 Davante Adams, Green Bay at Buffalo
42 Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona at St. Louis
43 Stedman Bailey, St. Louis vs. Arizona
44 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco at Seattle
45 Kamar Aiken, Baltimore vs. Jacksonville ...Aiken will likely get the start if Torrey Smith (knee) can't go
46 Doug Baldwin, Seattle vs. San Francisco
47 Andre Johnson, Houston at Indianapolis ...Johnson left Week 14 due to a concussion and will need to be monitored
48 Marqise Lee, Jacksonville at Baltimore
49 Rueben Randle, N.Y. Giants vs. Washington
50 Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville at Baltimore


Tight End

1 Rob Gronkowski, New England vs. Miami
2 Jimmy Graham, New Orleans at Chicago
3 Martellus Bennett, Chicago vs. New Orleans
4 Greg Olsen, Carolina vs. Tampa Bay
5 Julius Thomas, Denver at San Diego ...Thomas (ankle) was active last week but didn't play
6 Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants vs. Washington
7 Delanie Walker, Tennessee vs. N.Y. Jets
8 Antonio Gates, San Diego vs. Denver
9 Travis Kelce, Kansas City vs. Oakland
10 Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis vs. Houston
11 Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota at Detroit
12 Jordan Reed, Washington at N.Y. Giants
13 Jared Cook, St. Louis vs. Arizona
14 Jordan Cameron, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
15 Coby Fleener, Indianapolis vs. Houston
16 Mychal Rivera, Oakland at Kansas City
17 Jason Witten, Dallas at Philadelphia
18 Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati at Cleveland
19 Charles Clay, Miami at New England
20 Heath Miller, Pittsburgh at Atlanta



Kicker

1 Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis vs. Houston
2 Justin Tucker, Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
3 Stephen Gostkowski, New England vs. Miami
4 Matt Prater, Detroit vs. Minnesota
5 Cody Parkey, Philadelphia vs. Dallas
6 Steven Hauschka, Seattle vs. San Francisco
7 Connor Barth, Denver at San Diego
8 Shayne Graham, New Orleans at Chicago
9 Mason Crosby, Green Bay at Buffalo
10 Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis vs. Arizona
11 Cairo Santos, Kansas City vs. Oakland
12 Dan Bailey, Dallas at Philadelphia
13 Robbie Gould, Chicago vs. New Orleans
14 Graham Gano, Carolina vs. Tampa Bay
15 Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh at Atlanta
16 Mike Nugent, Cincinnati at Cleveland
17 Josh Brown, N.Y. Giants vs. Washington
18 Matt Bryant, Atlanta vs. Pittsburgh
19 Billy Cundiff, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
20 Nick Novak, San Diego vs. Denver



Defense

1 Baltimore DT, vs. Jacksonville 
2 Detroit DT, vs. Minnesota 
3 St. Louis DT, vs. Arizona 
4 Green Bay DT, at Buffalo 
5 Seattle DT, vs. San Francisco 
6 Arizona DT, at St. Louis 
7 New York Giants DT, vs. Washington 
8 Minnesota DT, at Detroit 
9 New England DT, vs. Miami 
10 Kansas City DT, vs. Oakland 
11 Cleveland DT, vs. Cincinnati 
12 Philadelphia DT, vs. Dallas 
13 Carolina DT, vs. Tampa Bay 
14 Indianapolis DT, vs. Houston 
15 New York Jets DT, at Tennessee 
16 Cincinnati DT, at Cleveland 
17 Tampa Bay DT, at Carolina 
18 Denver DT, at San Diego 
19 Tennessee DT, vs. N.Y. Jets 
20 Houston DT, at Indianapolis 
   
Please check out  Fantasy Football Warehouse for my full Week 15 fantasy football rankings. 

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Week 15 fantasy football moves to make now


It's hard to believe but playoff fantasy season is here in full throttle. Most likely, you are playing with what got you here so far but I will hit on a few potential pickups heading into Week 15. 

Kerwynn Williams (Arizona) will likely be the hot pickup of the week after collecting 100 yards this past week. I was actually a fan of Williams in dynasty rankings when he came of Utah State last year as a 5th rounder for the Colts thinking he could be a nice third-down back alongside Andrew Luck. Williams didn't make the cut in Indianapolis but he made the most of his opportunities this week after being called up from the practice squad by Arizona. Andre Ellington is done for the season so the opportunity is there for Williams (and he and Ellington are similar-type backs). However, I would pass on Williams mainly based on the match-ups on the horizon (against the Rams, Seahawks and 49ers - that is about as brutal as it can get).

Latavius Murray (Oakland) should be an attractive option for this week. Murray averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last week but the more enticing statistic is that he received 23 carries (versus just five carries for Darren McFadden). At Arrowhead this week has its challenges, but Murray gets to go against a defense he smoked for 112 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries just three weeks ago.

I mentioned Andre Williams (N.Y. Giants) last week and had him on last week's sleeper list. Rashad Jennings should be back more in a full role this week and the match-up isn't as attractive (at Washington) as it was last week but Williams nonetheless is a solid flex this week and a definite pickup if he happens to be on your waivers. 

Charles Johnson (Minnesota) was spotlighted last week and he looks like the real deal. Johnson scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 12, and he added two more this past week. Coming out of Grand Valley State, Johnson wasn't invited to last year's NFL Combine, but he has plenty of raw talent. At the Grand Valley State Pro Day last year, Johnson ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash and also posted a 39.5" vertical and 11'1" broad jump all of which are elite. 

Marquess Wilson (Chicago) will replace Brandon Marshall in the starting lineup for the rest of 2014. Wilson holds plenty of sleeper value mainly because Chicago is a pass-heavy team and Cutler looks heavily to his starting receivers. Wilson has fantastic body control and goes up to get the ball above defenders and was a dangerous playmaker at college (Washington State) before leaving after his junior season. Wilson was Washington State's Offensive MVP in 2011 when he set school single-season records for receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,388) as a sophomore. 

You would be hard-pressed to have to start Nick Toon (New Orleans) but he is getting on the fantasy radar. Toon has 9 receptions for 104 yards and one touchdown over the last three weeks. 

It is still yet to be decided, but Cleveland Head Coach Mike Pettine looks to be leaning toward (finally) going with Johnny Manziel. It sure would be exciting to see Johnny Football on the field and get your popcorn ready. I believe Manziel will be a fantasy star at times (not necessarily this season) with his running ability and throwing to Josh Gordon. 

Quarterback Zach Mettenberger (Tennessee) is done for the season after re-injuring his throwing shoulder and the team will turn its lonely eyes back to Jake Locker. If you are in a two-quarterback league Locker has some appeal (especially in what should be decent-weather games this week in Nashville, at Jacksonville next week, and then at home again in Week 17) but otherwise Locker is best left for the waiver wire given the state of the Titans' receiving corps. Locker though has incentive to play well as he will hit free agency after this year. 

Other fantasy notes 
Owners of the 2nd and 4th overall quarterbacks/fantasy scorers this season (Peyton Manning and Drew Brees) were rudely reminded that even the best can have really off days. Manning and Brees combined for 13 total standard league points. Manning also snapped a touchdown passing streak that went back 51 games (three games short of the all-time record). 

Le'Veon Bell (Pittsburgh) eclipsed 200 all-purpose yards for the third straight game has joined the immortal Walter Payton as the only players to ever achieve this feat in the NFL. Bell’s 711 combined yards in three games is the best three-game total since Walter Payton had 746 in 1977. Bell also has set a personal new career best yardage game in three straight back-to-back weeks. 

Jonathan Stewart (Carolina) was a FanDuel target of mine last week and those on board joined in a 155-yard explosion including a 69-yard touchdown run - the score was the longest of Stewart's career. Stewart will remains a solid start this week with a home game against Tampa Bay. 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings


Below are Week 14 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.


Quarterback
1 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay vs. Atlanta
2 Drew Brees, New Orleans vs. Carolina
3 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis at Cleveland ...Luck is averaging 334 yards per game and is on pace for 5,348 yards – Luck needs to average an extra 33 yards per game to break the single-season record of 5,477 Peyton Manning set last year
4 Peyton Manning, Denver vs. Buffalo ...Oddly enough, 6 of Peyton's 12 games this year he has had less than 300 yards passing
5 Matthew Stafford, Detroit vs. Tampa Bay
6 Jay Cutler, Chicago vs. Dallas
7 Russell Wilson, Seattle at Philadelphia
8 Tony Romo, Dallas at Chicago ...Many were burned by Romo last week, but nonetheless it's a favorable match-up here
9 Tom Brady, New England at San Diego
10 Philip Rivers, San Diego vs. New England
11 Ryan Tannehill, Miami vs. Baltimore
12 Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants at Tennessee
13 Cam Newton, Carolina at New Orleans
14 Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati  ...Over his last five games against Cincinnati, Roethlisberger averages just 227 yards and 1.2 TDs per game
15 Matt Ryan, Atlanta at Green Bay
16 Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia vs. Seattle
17 Ryan Fitzpatrick, Houston at Jacksonville ...Wow, Fitzpatrick off 6-TD game last week
18 Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco at Oakland
19 Joe Flacco, Baltimore at Miami
20 Kyle Orton, Buffalo at Denver ...Returning to Denver could provide added incentive for Orton 


Running Back
1 DeMarco Murray, Dallas at Chicago ...Murray needs to average 144 rushing yards in his last five games for a 2,000-yard season
2 Eddie Lacy, Green Bay vs. Atlanta
3 Matt Forte, Chicago vs. Dallas
4 Arian Foster, Houston at Jacksonville
5 Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 
6 C.J. Anderson, Denver vs. Buffalo ...Anderson has been the number one running back over the last three weeks
7 Mark Ingram, New Orleans vs. Carolina
8 Justin Forsett, Baltimore at Miami ...Forsett has 13 runs of 20 or more yards on the season, most in the NFL
9 Tre Mason, St. Louis at Washington
10 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle at Philadelphia
11 Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland vs. Indianapolis
12 Jamaal Charles, Kansas City at Arizona
13 Joique Bell, Detroit vs. Tampa Bay
14 Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
15 Dan Herron, Indianapolis at Cleveland
16 Fred Jackson, Buffalo at Denver
17 Frank Gore, San Francisco at Oakland
18 LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia vs. Seattle
19 Andre Williams, N.Y. Giants at Tennessee ...I am assuming Rashad Jennings (ankle) misses this week
20 Shane Vereen, New England at San Diego
21 Lamar Miller, Miami vs. Baltimore
22 Ryan Mathews, San Diego vs. New England
23 Denard Robinson, Jacksonville vs. Houston
24 Jonathan Stewart, Carolina at New Orleans
25 Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
26 Alfred Morris, Washington vs. St. Louis
27 Marion Grice, Arizona vs. Kansas City ...If Andre Ellington (hip pointer) can't go (and maybe not), Grice will draw the start this week
28 Trent Richardson, Indianapolis at Cleveland
29 Carlos Hyde, San Francisco at Oakland
30 Pierre Thomas, New Orleans vs. Carolina


Wide Receivers
1 Jordy Nelson, Green Bay vs. Atlanta
2 Calvin Johnson, Detroit vs. Tampa Bay
3 Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 
4 Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Buffalo
5 Josh Gordon, Cleveland vs. Indianapolis
6 Odell Beckham Jr. , N.Y. Giants at Tennessee
7 A.J. Green, Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
8 Randall Cobb, Green Bay vs. Atlanta
9 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston at Jacksonville
10 Dez Bryant, Dallas at Chicago
11 Emmanuel Sanders, Denver vs. Buffalo
12 Julio Jones, Atlanta at Green Bay
13 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay at Detroit
14 Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina at New Orleans
15 Brandon Marshall, Chicago vs. Dallas
16 Golden Tate, Detroit vs. Tampa Bay
17 Alshon Jeffery, Chicago vs. Dallas
18 T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis at Cleveland
19 Kenny Stills, New Orleans vs. Carolina
20 Kendall Wright, Tennessee vs. N.Y. Giants ...Wright should see more looks with Justin Hunter out for the rest of the season
21 Roddy White, Atlanta at Green Bay
22 Brandon LaFell, New England at San Diego
23 Julian Edelman, New England at San Diego
24 Andre Johnson, Houston at Jacksonville
25 Torrey Smith, Baltimore at Miami ...Torrey Smith (knee) will need to be monitored for Week 14
26 Jarvis Landry, Miami vs. Baltimore
27 Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia vs. Seattle
28 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco at Oakland
29 Keenan Allen, San Diego vs. New England ...Allen will presumably be on Revis Island this week
30 Robert Woods, Buffalo at Denver
31 Mike Wallace, Miami vs. Baltimore
32 Marques Colston, New Orleans vs. Carolina
33 Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis at Cleveland
34 Steve Smith, Baltimore at Miami
35 Sammy Watkins, Buffalo at Denver
36 Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia vs. Seattle
37 DeSean Jackson, Washington vs. St. Louis ...Jackson (fibula) probably won't practice this week but "should play" Sunday but there is high injury risk here
38 Michael Crabtree, San Francisco at Oakland
39 Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay at Detroit
40 Stedman Bailey, St. Louis at Washington
41 Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
42 Davante Adams, Green Bay vs. Atlanta
43 Rueben Randle, N.Y. Giants at Tennessee
44 John Brown, Arizona vs. Kansas City
45 Michael Floyd, Arizona vs. Kansas City
46 Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville vs. Houston
47 Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona vs. Kansas City ...Fitzgerald (sprained MCL) will be questionable for Week 14 but he should be able to play this week
48 Eddie Royal, San Diego vs. New England
49 Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis at Cleveland
50 Malcom Floyd, San Diego vs. New England


Tight End
1 Jimmy Graham, New Orleans vs. Carolina ...Zero catches last week, you have think the Saints get Graham going again this week (Graham averages 7/85/1 in his career against the Panthers)
2 Rob Gronkowski, New England at San Diego
3 Martellus Bennett, Chicago vs. Dallas ...Bennett faces the team that drafted him
4 Greg Olsen, Carolina at New Orleans
5 Antonio Gates, San Diego vs. New England
6 Julius Thomas, Denver vs. Buffalo ...Thomas (ankle) should be able to go this week
7 Delanie Walker, Tennessee vs. N.Y. Giants
8 Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota vs. N.Y. Jets ...The Jets have allowed 12 touchdowns to tight ends, worst in the NFL
9 Coby Fleener, Indianapolis at Cleveland
10 Jordan Reed, Washington vs. St. Louis ...Reed has caught 16 passes for 163 yards in Colt McCoy’s two starts
11 Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants at Tennessee
12 Jason Witten, Dallas at Chicago
13 Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis at Cleveland ...Allen (ankle) has returned to practice this week and is expected to make his return
14 Travis Kelce, Kansas City at Arizona
15 Jordan Cameron, Cleveland vs. Indianapolis ...Cameron (concussion) should be able to go this week and is slotted as such in the rankings
16 Vernon Davis, San Francisco at Oakland
17 Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
18 Heath Miller, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 
19 Tim Wright, New England at San Diego
20 Scott Chandler, Buffalo at Denver 


Kicker
1 Mason Crosby, Green Bay vs. Atlanta
2 Matt Prater, Detroit vs. Tampa Bay
3 Randy Bullock, Houston at Jacksonville
4 Justin Tucker, Baltimore at Miami
5 Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis at Cleveland
6 Stephen Gostkowski, New England at San Diego
7 Dan Bailey, Dallas at Chicago
8 Steven Hauschka, Seattle at Philadelphia
9 Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis at Washington
10 Cody Parkey, Philadelphia vs. Seattle
11 Shayne Graham, New Orleans vs. Carolina
12 Phil Dawson, San Francisco at Oakland
13 Connor Barth, Denver vs. Buffalo
14 Mike Nugent, Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh
15 Caleb Sturgis, Miami vs. Baltimore
16 Josh Brown, N.Y. Giants at Tennessee
17 Nick Novak, San Diego vs. New England
18 Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona vs. Kansas City
19 Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 
20 Robbie Gould, Chicago vs. Dallas


Defense
1 Minnesota DT, vs. N.Y. Jets 
2 Detroit DT, vs. Tampa Bay 
3 Green Bay DT, vs. Atlanta 
4 Houston DT, at Jacksonville 
5 San Francisco DT, at Oakland 
6 St. Louis DT, at Washington 
7 Arizona DT, vs. Kansas City 
8 Seattle DT, at Philadelphia 
9 Denver DT, vs. Buffalo 
10 Baltimore DT, at Miami 
11 Indianapolis DT, at Cleveland 
12 New York Giants DT, at Tennessee 
13 Miami DT, vs. Baltimore 
14 Pittsburgh DT, at Cincinnati  
15 Philadelphia DT, vs. Seattle 
16 New Orleans DT, vs. Carolina 
17 Tampa Bay DT, at Detroit 
18 New England DT, at San Diego 
19 Jacksonville DT, vs. Houston 
20 Dallas DT, at Chicago 
   
Please check out  Fantasy Football Warehouse for my full Week 14 fantasy football rankings. 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Week 14 fantasy football moves to make now


We are in crunch season as teams are either jockeying to make the playoffs or some leagues may start this week, or perhaps you play in a total point format sprinting hard for the last quarter of the season.  We will hit on a few targets, some we spotlighted last week (like Stedman Bailey and the St. Louis defense), and if you followed my FanDuel recommendations last week you again likely crushed it: Rashad Jennings, Tre Mason, Antonio Brown and Kenny Stills all paid off handsomely (and Mason did collect the long score and two TDs as well!).

Johnny Manziel (Cleveland) saw his first significant action of his rookie season when he replaced the struggling Brian Hoyer in the fourth quarter of Cleveland's loss to Buffalo. The game was well out of hand by that point, but Manziel did guide Cleveland to their lone TD of the game and seemed to provide an offensive spark. Head Coach Mike Pettine has yet to declare Manziel the week 14 starting quarterback but assuming Manziel starts he has fantasy appeal with his running ability and throwing to Josh Gordon.

I mentioned last week to make sure no one cut Donte Moncrief (Indianapolis) and if he's available in your league Moncrief is likely the top waiver wire add this week. Moncrief continues to be the third or fourth option in the passing game, but his Week 13 performance (three receptions, 134 yards, 2 TDs) should bump him up the pecking order. Moncrief has a ton of upside and appears ready to become a regular in the Colts offense and on the best passing team in the NFL. 

Marqise Lee (Jacksonville) saw the 2nd-most targets of his rookie season (eight) in Week 13, leading the team with six receptions for 75 yards and one TD. With the season-ending injury to Allen Robinson, Lee figures to continue to see an expanded role in the Jacksonville passing game. 

I mentioned Stedman Bailey (St. Louis) last week and he remains a strong add. Bailey has become an important cog in the St. Louis passing game, seeing a combined 15 targets in the last two weeks (turning them into 189 yards and one TD). 

In PPR scoring, if you are in a pinch Cole Beasley (Dallas) continues to see significant snaps and can be productive in this offense. Beasley has collected 107 yards in his last two games with a score and this week's game at Chicago should be a high-scoring one. 

Other fantasy notes 
Andrew Luck (Indianapolis) is this year's first 4,000 yard passer, averaging 309 yards per game and on pace for a season-best 4,936 yards. Luck's 10th 300-yard passing game of the season broke the franchise record previously held by Peyton Manning. 

Peyton Manning (Denver) was held under 200 yards this week. That Manning has less than 300 yards passing in 6 of 12 games this year is a bit of a surprising stat. Denver should be welcoming tight end Julius Thomas back to the starting lineup this week while C.J. Anderson is easily the No. 1 running back over the last three weeks. 

Le'Veon Bell (Pittsburgh) is flat out fantasy gold - Bell is on pace for 2,252 combined yards from scrimmage (which would be the 13th best season in NFL history).