The Scoop

By Dalton Del Don

Normally I use this space to bash the Thursday night announcing crew, but I’d like to thank them for informing me that the first country song Kerry Collins wrote was titled “Momma’s fried chicken”…Kenny Britt managed just four catches for 39 yards during his return to the lineup, although it’s worth noting it was his first action since Week 7. He started and played a full complement of snaps, and it’s clear he’s back as Tennessee’s No. 1 wide receiver. Britt had scored seven touchdowns over five games before suffering the strained hamstring, as the sophomore wideout was enjoying a breakout season. At home facing a Houston defense that has allowed the second most fantasy points to wide receivers this year, Britt can be started with confidence in Week 15…What a ridiculous backdoor cover by the Titans. Unreal. I’d hate to be Jeff Fisher’s bookie…The 37 drops by Colts receivers this year are the most in the NFL.

What a horrible time for Mike Williams to have his worst game of the season. Still, fantasy owners should keep him going at home against the Lions in Week 15…Making his first appearance since Week 8, Ryan Torain had 24 carries for 172 rushing yards Sunday, including a remarkable 121 yards on the ground in the first quarter. Keiland Williams was the only other Redskins back to get a rushing attempt, receiving just four totes on the day, as Torain has clearly retaken the team’s featured role. He’s reached 100 yards rushing in each of the past three contests he’s been able to finish, averaging an impressive 4.9 YPC on the year. Torain is a viable RB2 option for fantasy leaguers down the stretch…Those in deep leagues desperate for a WR sleeper in Week 15, look no further than Anthony Armstrong. Before last week’s disappointing performance, he averaged 73.2 yards over the previous five games and gets a matchup in Week 15 against a Dallas defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers in the NFL this season by a wide margin.

That’s eight fumbles for Peyton Hillis now, easily the most in the league among running backs…Lee Evans was lost for the season with a high-ankle sprain, ending yet another disappointing campaign for the once promising wide receiver. Evans will enter 2011 taking a backseat to teammate Steve Johnson, and he’s now become an afterthought in fantasy leagues.

Aaron Rodgers managed just 4.2 YPA with no touchdowns and a pick against a porous Detroit secondary before departing with a concussion, so fantasy owners have to feel cheated. It was his second concussion suffered this season, so Rodgers’ status for Week 15 is in question, and the answer may not be revealed until Sunday night, with the Packers/Patriots matchup being in primetime…Greg Jennings certainly didn’t help, as he dropped a sure 80-yard touchdown and turned it into an interception…Needing just three feet toward the end of the game, it was curious to see Green Bay throw a deep ball into the end zone on 4th and 1.

Darren McFadden totaled 209 yards and three touchdowns on just 19 touches Sunday, helping many fantasy teams move onto Week 15 in the process. He’s missed two games this season due to injury and totaled just 16 rushing yards over Weeks 11 and 12, but he’s still on pace to finish the year with 1,760 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. McFadden is tied for second in the NFL with 3.4 YPC after contact, and few runs in the league this season have been as impressive as this. Fantasy owners have to be salivating at the thought of him going against a Broncos team that has been gashed for the second most fantasy points to running backs this season in Week 15…David Garrard’s TD pass to Jason Hill was the throw of the day…Maurice Jones-Drew should have taken a knee at the 1 yard line at the end of his 30-yard touchdown run with 1:34 left, but he has himself on all his fantasy teams, so he knows better, especially during the first week of the playoffs.

Despite Cincinnati’s defense keeping the Steelers out of the end zone all game long, the Bengals still lost 23-7 in Week 14, thanks mostly to two costly pick-sixes by Carson Palmer. He managed just 5.6 YPA and tossed three interceptions in all, as his nightmare season continued. Palmer’s 18 picks are the second most in the league, and his 6.4 YPA mark is a career-low. The two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns were simply inexcusable…According to Pro Football Focus, the Steelers have the worst pass blocking and the worst run blocking in the AFC. They also have been the most penalized team and have the second worst special teams in the conference…Pittsburgh spiked the ball on 1st and goal with 34 seconds left in the first half and a timeout remaining. Of course, they then kicked a field goal with 21 seconds left. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

Dan Marino has the most wins ever (33) by a quarterback over their first three seasons in the league, but Matt Ryan currently has 31 wins and counting…Jonathan Stewart is a borderline RB1 in Week 15 at home against the Cardinals, but he’s already lost three fumbles this year on just 120 carries…A new nominee for worst announcing moment of 2010 – “Matt Ryan can just walk into the end zone” right before he gets clobbered short of the goal line.

Alex Smith completed 17-of-27 passes for 255 yards and a 3:0 TD:INT ratio during the 49ers’ win Sunday, finishing with a 130.9 QB rating. Smith was starting for the first time since Week 7, and his performance made coach Mike Singletary’s decision to go back to him look brilliant. Smith has gotten 7.9 YPA with nine touchdowns over four home games this season, but he has a tough matchup Week 15 in San Diego against a Chargers defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season…With three kick return touchdowns already this season, it’s hard to figure how Leon Washington has been given only 24 rushing attempts.

Making his first appearance since Week 3, Pierre Thomas led the Saints with 12 carries Sunday, although that resulted in a modest 39 rushing yards. He added four catches for 29 receiving yards as well, and Chris Ivory was limited in practice this week with a hamstring injury. If Ivory misses any game action, Thomas would once again become a viable fantasy option, although a Week 15 matchup against a Ravens defense that has allowed the sixth fewest fantasy points to running backs this season is hardly enticing…As funny as it sounds, the Chiefs/Rams matchup is basically a playoff game.

Deion Branch hauled in eight catches for 151 yards against a Bears defense that entered having allowed an NFL-low 6.2 YPA and just nine passing TDs on the year. Over the past three games, Branch has racked up 328 receiving yards and four touchdowns. If you prorate his stats since joining New England over a full season, he’s on pace to finish with 78 receptions, 1,152 yards and nine scores. Branch hadn’t reached 750 receiving yards or scored five touchdowns in a season since leaving New England in 2005, but at age 31, he’s clearly not washed up. All he needed was Tom Brady as his quarterback again…Since 2001, when the Patriots have a plus turnover differential, they are 80-3. (h/t Ken Tremendous)…New England is now 11-0 under Bill Belichick in the snow, and during their last three such games, the team has outscored its opponents 109-0 during the first half…New England has now gone five straight games without a turnover, setting an NFL record.

Tim Hightower ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries against the Broncos last week, and it’s clear he’s the RB to own in Arizona’s backfield. Hightower has averaged 5.2 YPC this season, and Beanie Wells hasn’t received more than eight touches in a game since Week 8. In a matchup against a Carolina defense that has allowed the third most fantasy points to running backs this season, Hightower is a fine start in Week 15…Arizona scored as many points in Week 14 as they did during its previous four games combined…Jay Feely’s fantasy performance was one for the record books…Over the past two games, Kyle Orton has completed just 40.6 percent of his passes while getting a paltry 4.1 YPA with zero touchdowns and four turnovers. Week 14’s performance was especially galling, as his 27.1 QB rating came against a middling Arizona secondary in perfect weather conditions. Orton has enjoyed a fine season – easily the best of his career – but he’s slumping at the worst possible time for fantasy owners, and he’s a risky proposition down the stretch.

Mark Sanchez completed just 17-of-44 passes at home against the Dolphins in Week 14, getting only 4.9 YPA, and he’s lucky just one of his four fumbles was lost. Sanchez has committed six turnovers over the past three games after not committing one over the first five games of the year. In fact, he’s been intercepted at least once in eight consecutive contests. While the Jets’ receivers have done him no favors, dropping 35 passes, which is the second most in football this year, Sanchez’s 53.3 completion percentage is the lowest in the AFC. He’s really regressed of late, but it’s obviously too soon to give up on the sophomore signal caller…While Kareem McKenzie has been fantastic, Jake Long is the best offensive tackle in all of football…What an indefensible drop in the end zone by Santonio Holmes. Pathetic.

Brodie Croyle is now 0-10 as a starter throughout his career…Ryan Mathews gained 65 rushing yards on 16 carries Sunday during his first action since Week 9, also hitting paydirt. Mike Tolbert received the same amount of rushing attempts, and while he’s a better bet to score each week as the team’s goal-line back, don’t be surprised if the rookie starts getting the majority of the carries from here on out. As nearly double-digit favorites at home against the 49ers on Thursday night, the Chargers should be playing with the lead mostly, resulting in plenty of carries to go around…With Antonio Gates highly questionable and Malcom Floyd also banged up, Vincent Jackson deserves an upgrade…During Weeks 6-12, Dwayne Bowe recorded 49 catches for 733 yards and 13 touchdowns. Over his other six games this year, he’s totaled 10 catches for 155 yards and one touchdown. There hasn’t been a bigger boom-or-bust player in football.

A favorite for the craziest stat of the 2010 season: LeSean McCoy leads the NFL with 709 yards after the catch. He has 538 receiving yards on the year…Michael Vick has gotten 9.3 YPA with a 17:3 TD:turnover ratio over five games on the road this season…To me, the Tashard Choice asking Vick for an autograph issue is much ado about nothing.

If that wasn’t a safety on Tavaris Jackson, then I don’t know what one is…Returning to action after a two-game absence, Hakeem Nicks racked up seven catches for 96 yards Monday night. Nicks’ 81.5 receiving yards per game this season rank as the fifth most in the NFL, and his nine TD receptions are also tied for the fifth most in football, despite playing in just 11 games. With Steve Smith out for the season, and Mario Manningham also hobbled, Nicks is going to be targeted heavily, returning him to elite status in fantasy leagues. The Giants could be in a shootout against the Eagles in Week 15, although the likely return of Asante Samuel isn’t ideal…Brett Favre’s purple hand was pretty gross. Joe Webb, who might get the start under center in Week 15, presents an interesting fantasy option, as he’s eligible at WR in Yahoo leagues.

While Monday night’s game was thrilling, the Ravens showed exactly how not to play with a big lead. What kind of defense was that? Matt Schaub, who’s the only quarterback in the league yet to commit a penalty this season, was somehow sacked just twice despite dropping back (mostly in obvious passing downs) a whopping 63 times…Anquan Boldin has reached 70 yards receiving just twice over the past nine games, and after entering the year as the all-time leader in receiving yards per game, he’s dropped to third on the leaderboard (Andre Johnson is currently first with 79.9 Y/G).

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