By Dalton Del Don
Thanksgiving speed round: What an embarrassing game by Alphonso Smith. Remember, not only did Josh McDaniels trade away Peyton Hillis, but he also dealt a 2010 first round pick to move up in round two in 2009 to select Smithâ¦Tom Brady has an 11:0 TD:INT ratio over the past four games, and he hasnât thrown an interception since Week 6. Simply amazing when you consider New Englandâs receiving corpsâ¦Normally Iâm a big Bill Belichick fan, but how could he not go for it on 4th and 1 at the two-yard line?…Miles Austin has totaled seven catches over the past three games, yet heâs scored four touchdowns over that spanâ¦After racking up 274 receiving yards over Weeks 8-10, Dez Bryant has just eight yards over the past two games. Jon Kitna simply needs to get his playmakers involved moreâ¦New Orleans guard Carl Nicks has been the NFLâs most devastating run blocker this seasonâ¦Think Terrell Owens still considers Darrelle Revis an âaverageâ corner?…It was cool seeing James Brown get so genuinely emotional over the Chris Henry pregame story.
How does Green Bay not challenge that Tony Gonzalez âcatchâ on 4th down? Aaron Rodgers has gotten a ton of criticism for his record in close games, but Mike McCarthy is likely the bigger culprit. Rodgers sure plays like a âwinnerââ¦The Falcons have played just one road game since Week 6, so it should be interesting to see how they fare with three straight upcoming games away from homeâ¦Since his rookie season, Matt Ryan has thrown 41 touchdowns over 25 games despite a 6.6 YPA mark. Not sure what to make of it, but those two are incredibly disproportionate.
Teams with Randy Moss this season are 4-7. Those same teams without him on their roster are 14-7â¦Rusty Smith posted a 26.7 QB rating against one of the worst pass defenses in NFL history last week. Kerry Collins canât return soon enoughâ¦Houston plays Tennessee again this year in Week 15. Canât wait to see Andre Johnson vs. Cortland Finnegan round two.
Keiland Williams was given just three carries and gained only five yards against the Vikings last week, as newcomer James Davis received twice as many rushing attempts. Williams should remain active as a receiver, but heâs down to 3.8 YPC on the year, and Sunday illustrated just how unpredictable a Mike Shanahan backfield can be. No Washington RB is reliable right nowâ¦Sunday marked the first time Brett Favre didnât commit a turnover in a game this season.
The Jaguars have the fewest three-and-outs in the NFL this yearâ¦The Giants were the only team not to score on an opening drive this season until kicking a field goal last weekâ¦What a TD run by David Garrard.
Fred Jackson totaled 123 yards against a Pittsburgh defense that entered having allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs in the NFL. His 65-yard TD reception was impressive, as was his 4.9 YPC mark against a Steelersâ front seven that has allowed a league-low 3.0 YPC. The return of C.J. Spiller could take away some touches, but Jackson is clearly Buffaloâs workhorse, and with the emergence of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Steve Johnson, itâs no longer an untenable situation. Over the last three games, Jackson has totaled 462 yards with five touchdowns. He should be treated as a top-12 fantasy back moving forwardâ¦Stevie Johnson had five drops Sunday, and none was bigger than his last one. The Bills are far better than their 2-9 record indicatesâ¦Kyle Williams has been a beast in IDP leagues, and not only did he record 10 tackles with two sacks last week, he also induced a whopping four holding calls as wellâ¦Solomon Wilcots actually questioned the Billsâ decision to try to get closer with the ball at Pittsburghâs 40-yard line with 36 seconds left down three points in the fourth quarter, as if a 57-yard field goal in Buffalo was a gimme (not to mention a touchdown would have won the game). Wilcots is TERRIBLE.
Target any and all fantasy defenses facing the Browns when Jake Delhomme is starting. Heâs a pick-six waiting to happenâ¦Jonathan Stewart gained 98 yards on 12 carries during his return to action last week, as heâs fully recovered from his concussion. Mike Goodson remains in the picture, leading the team with 14 rushing attempts and also with eight receptions and 81 receiving yards against the Browns. Goodsonâs impressive performance has earned him touches going forward, but coach John Fox usually sides with veterans, and a healthy Stewart should regain the starting job soon enough. The backfield should remain a timeshare, with Goodson dominating third down work, but Stewart should get the majority of the carries including at the goal line, making him a flex option in fantasy leaguesâ¦The Panthers had the ball at their own 5-yard line with no timeouts and less than one minute left and yet were in position to win until John Kasay shanked a 42-yard field goal as time expiredâ¦Peyton Hillis is on pace to finish with 1,919 total yards and 19 touchdowns this season despite not starting until Week 3. He might go down as the single best waiver wire pickup in the history of fantasy football.
Matt Cassel continued to impress in Week 12, throwing four touchdowns with zero interceptions in Seattle. He has now tossed 10 TDs without getting picked over the past three games (while getting 8.2 YPA), and he hasnât been sacked in either of the past two. If you date back further, Cassel has posted a remarkable 21:2 TD:INT ratio since Week 3. He benefits from a strong Chiefs rushing attack, but Kansas City is no longer one-dimensional on offense, and Cassel is suddenly a borderline QB1 in fantasy leagues. Meanwhile, Dwayne Bowe has recorded 13 touchdowns over the past seven games, and thereâs certainly an argument heâs the No. 1 fantasy wide receiver. Charlie Weis had flaws as a head coach at Notre Dame, but heâs a terrific offensive coordinator and deserves a ton of creditâ¦With Mike Williams sidelined with a foot injury, Ben Obomanu stepped in and recorded five catches for 159 yards and a score against Kansas City last week. The former seventh-rounder has scored a touchdown in three of the past four games and has averaged 102.0 receiving yards over the past three contests. Obomanu has impressed when given the opportunity during his third year in the league, something that could continue with Williamsâ foot injury possibly keeping him out a while. Playing in Seattleâs offense is hardly ideal, but the Seahawks have a favorable schedule from here on outâ¦Seriously, how sick is Jamaal Charles?
Not only did Jacoby Ford have an impressive 101-yard kickoff return TD to open the game last week, he also recorded the first receiving touchdown of his career. Heâs topped 100 yards receiving in two of the past three games and had to deal with a tough Steelersâ defense in Pittsburgh during the one game in between. Especially with Bruce Gradkowski likely out for the season with a shoulder injury, Ford isnât in an ideal situation, but itâs worth noting heâs been targeted 18 times over the past two weeks. Al Davis drafted him for his speed (his 4.28 forty time was the fastest at this yearâs combine and nearly matched Chris Johnsonâs all-time record), but itâs clear Ford is much more than just a speedster. He looks like a special player capable of helping fantasy teams down the stretch even as a rookie, and those who own him in dynasty leagues have to be salivating at his future prospectsâ¦Sunday marked the first time Chad Henne threw multiple touchdowns in a game since Week 6, and itâs clear Nnamdi Asomugha returned from his injury too soon.
Over Jay Cutlerâs first nine completions against the Eagles, four were touchdownsâ¦Down 31-16 with less than five minutes remaining, not only did Andy Reid make the questionable decision to kick a field goal, he followed that up by not attempting an onside kick. Reid continues to baffle when it comes to in game management.
Targeted just four times for the second straight game, Anquan Boldin watched as 36-year-old teammate Derrick Mason got 13 looks last week. Boldin hasnât topped 50 yards receiving since Week 7, averaging just 3.25 catches per game and scoring only once over that span. While a Week 14 matchup against an awful Houston secondary is tasty, the Ravens face the Steelers and Saints in two of their next three games, which are two of the NFLâs best pass defenses, so his slump may not come to an end soonâ¦If Josh Freeman canât get a comeback win, heâll at least get you a backdoor cover.
Danario Alexander had 95 receiving yards last week during his return to the lineup, continuing to flash impressive ability. Alexander put up those numbers while playing only 20 snaps, which reveals a high ceiling if he were to become a full-time player but also a low floor if the snaps remain limited, as itâs awfully tough to be consistent that way. The latest knee operation was his fifth, so thereâs no guarantee heâll stay healthy or be able to play a full complement of snaps anytime soon, but the skills are clearly there. If his health cooperates, Alexander could be the Ramsâ No. 1 wide receiver for years to come, which means a lot of potential since the teamâs rookie quarterback has posted an 11:1 TD:INT ratio over the last six gamesâ¦While Peyton Hillis may end up being the greatest fantasy add ever, Brandon Lloyd could easily go down as the best WR free agent pickup in the history of fantasy football the very same year â heâs on pace to finish this season with 84 catches, 1,632 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
Vincent Jackson lasted just a few plays during his return to the field before leaving Sundayâs game with a calf injury, which apparently stemmed from overcompensating for a groin injury he suffered the week prior in practice. Heâs going to miss at least the next two weeks with the ailment, which makes him unreliable in fantasy leagues and highlights the risks involved with players who come back midseason. With Jackson and Patrick Crayton out, and Antonio Gates and Malcom Floyd still banged up, Legedu Naanee, who is finally back to 100 percent, becomes a sneaky option in fantasy leagues. Heâs a sleeper to be a difference maker as one of the main options in such a high powered passing attack down the stretchâ¦In deep leagues, Iâd take a flier on Mike Hart, who has been far more productive than Donald Brown this seasonâ¦Most are down on the Colts, but itâs worth noting their last three losses have come @Phi, @NE and against a Chargers team that might be the best in football (although admittedly, their shaky 23-17 home win over the Bengals sandwiched in between might be the most embarrassing over that span), so donât count them out just yet. Expect Indy to bounce back in a big way this week against Dallas.
The NFC West has been outscored by 247 points collectively this season. Thatâs not goodâ¦On a neutral field, Iâd take any team in the league over the Cardinalsâ¦In the Yahoo! Friends & Family league, Iâve scored the most points despite drafting Beanie Wells in round 2, Ryan Grant in round 3, Michael Bush in round 4 and Kevin Kolb in round 6. I say this not to brag, but to vent, since Frank Gore was my first round pick. My reaction when finding out Goreâs hip was broken was borderline psychotic, and I can only wonder what my poor wife must have thought. Sheâd be better off married to a drunk who kicks the dog upside the head than me when an important fantasy player of mine goes down. I seriously need therapy. Oh well, guess Iâll just have to beat those chumps without starting any of my first seven round picks.
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