http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com Free Fantasy Football Information en http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/CXoBiE6bEU0/super-bowl-rankingshttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/327This is it. The final game of the NFL season and your last chance to set a lineup until we start the whole thing over again next season.Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:17:26 -0600
This is it. The final game of the NFL season and your last chance to set a lineup until we start the whole thing over again next season. Good luck to those still competing and enjoy the game.

Quarterbacks

By the numbers, this is a great passing matchup for each of these quarterbacks. It's within both of their abilities to excel and it's all going to come down to how the game plays out. In the end, I have to give the edge to Brady based on his track record. Having said that, I won't be the least bit surprised if Manning puts up better numbers at the end of the day.

1. Tom Brady
2. Eli Manning


Running Backs

1. Ahmad Bradshaw - Easily the head of this class
2. BenJarvus Green-Ellis - Has the most upside as a goal line back
3. Brandon Jacobs - Could also sneak one across
4. Stevan Ridley
5. Danny Woodhead


Wide Receivers

1. Hakeem Nicks - He's been a beast, no one can touch him right now
2. Wes Welker - Already a nice weapon, gets extra looks with Gronk hampered
3. Victor Cruz - Always offers up the big play potential
4. Mario Manningham - Low yardage, but has scored in all three postseason contests
5. Deion Branch


Tight Ends

1. Aaron Hernandez - Gets top billing with Gronk's status uncertain
2. Rob Gronkowski - Even if he's limited, he belongs in this slot
3. Jake Ballard - Knee injury could continue to nag him
4. Travis Beckum - Moves up a slot if Ballard's knee can't hold out


Kickers

1. Stephen Gostkowski
2. Lawrence Tynes

Defenses/Special Teams

1. NYG Defense
2. NE Defense]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/327/super-bowl-rankingshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/65pklBAE8b0/conference-championship-rankingshttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/326We are left with the final four with the 49ers and Giants in the NFC and the Ravens and Patriots in the AFC. For those of you playing postseason games, we've ranked the remaining contenders for you.Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:16:31 -0600
We are getting down to the wire in this second to last round of the 2011-2012 NFL Season. Unexpectedly, we lost some major powerhouses last week with the Packers and Saints both falling out of the running. We are left with the final four with the 49ers and Giants in the NFC and the Ravens and Patriots in the AFC. For those of you playing postseason games, we've ranked the remaining contenders for you. Good luck!

Quarterbacks

There really wasn't a lot of thought required in this one. Tom Brady is the last remaining QB from the Elite class. The Ravens may have ranked 2nd against the pass on the year, but we all know that those kind of statistics mean very little to the Patriots QB. Manning, in my book, is just outside that elite grouping, but still head and shoulders over Flacco and Smith. I give Smith the edge because of the way he stepped up last week against the Saints and because I haven't seen anything out of Flacco to inspire me.

1. Tom Brady
2. Eli Manning
3. Alex Smith
4. Joe Flacco

Running Backs

1. Ray Rice - McGahee averaged 4.5 yards per carry against the Pats last week, Rice should have a really big day
2. Frank Gore - Couldn't find the end zone last week, but looked good with over 100 total yards
3. Ahmad Bradshaw - Has his work cut out for him against the 49ers, but there isn't much depth left at RB
4. Stevan Ridley - Poor showing last week, but still has the highest upside in New England's backfield
5. Brandon Jacobs - You can't rank the Giants 2nd option too high against a team that allowed 1 rushing TD all season
6. BenJarvus Green-Ellis - Last 4 games, 33 carries, 77 yards - that's a 2.3 average
7. Kendall Hunter
8. Danny Woodhead


Wide Receivers

1. Hakeem Nicks - With 4 TDs in 2 playoff games, he's the hottest hand still playing
2. Wes Welker - The Ravens will be paying attention to the TE's and Welker will remind them what he does best
3. Victor Cruz - Nicks has dominated in the postseason, but Cruz is still more dangerous than anyone else left
4. Anquan Boldin - Made some big plays last week and the Pats were the worst fantasy pass defense in the league
5. Michael Crabtree - The Giants can be had through the air and Crabtree is Smith's only real receiving threat
6. Mario Manningham - Scored in both playoff games, no reason he can't sneak in a third
7. Torrey Smith
8. Deion Branch

Tight Ends

1. Rob Gronkowski - Just when you think he can't top himself, he does just that
2. Vernon Davis - If he can carry over any of his moves from last weeks contest he'll be dangerous again
3. Aaron Hernandez - He's still playing like a #1 TE for any team except his own
4. Jake Ballard - He has 33 total yards over the last 2 weeks, despite 11 targets - could he finally cash in here?
5. Dennis Pitta - Gets the edge over Dickson with significantly more targets lately
6. Ed Dickson


Kickers

1. David Akers
2. Stephen Gostkowski
3. Billy Cundiff
4. Lawrence Tynes

Defenses/Special Teams

1. SF Defense
2. NYG Defense
3. NE Defense
4. BAL Defense]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/326/conference-championship-rankingshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/xioyLQjsDWw/divisional-round-rankingshttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/325We may have lost 4 teams last week, but the two top seeds from each conference get injected into the mix this weekend. That's four more rosters full of talent. We break them down for you with our rankings for the Divisional Round.Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:18:34 -0600
We're one week closer to the Super Bowl and we've lost four more teams worth of players. Fantasy studs like Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, and Roddy White are all gone. Not to worry as the two top seeds from each conference get injected into the mix. That's four more rosters full of talent. We break them down for you with our rankings for the Divisional Round.

Quarterbacks

Rodgers claims the top spot over Brees for a few reasons. The Giants may have just shut down Matt Ryan with ease, but on the season they ranked 24th worst against the pass, averaging over 265 yards per game and nearly 2 scores. Rodgers did his part to skew those numbers with 369 passing yards and 4 TDs in week 13. He did that on the road. This time around he'll be in front of the home crowd. Regardless, you really can't go wrong with the top 4. They all have big point potential this week. Try to avoid the bottom 4 if you can help it (of course, Tebow could go either way).

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Drew Brees - He's blazing hot right now, and the 49ers run defense will force him to keep the ball in the air
3. Tom Brady - Dominated Denver last time around, 320 passing yards and 2 TDs, plus 1 rushing TD
4. Eli Manning - Came up just short of Rodgers, but had 347 yards and 3 TDs vs the Packers
5. Tim Tebow
6. Joe Flacco
7. Alex Smith
8. T.J. Yates

Running Backs

1. Ray Rice - Had no problem with Houston week 6, 161 total yards
2. Arian Foster - Remains Houston's best weapon, had 101 total yards vs Ravens last time
3. Frank Gore - Scored in all 3 of his last full outings, with a minimum of 65 yards
4. Ahmad Bradshaw - Couldn't score last week, but will be integral against the Packers softer defense
5. Darren Sproles - The 49ers only allowed 1 rushing TD this season, 3 of Sproles last 5 TDs were receiving
6. Willis McGahee - Maintained a per carry avg of 10 (7 for 70) against the Pats a few weeks ago
7. Stevan Ridley - He's getting the most touches and yardage, goal lines go to Green-Ellis though
8. Brandon Jacobs - He was more productive than Bradshaw last week, but consistency is the issue
9. Ryan Grant
10. BenJarvus Green-Ellis
11. Pierre Thomas
12. Kendall Hunter
13. James Starks
14. Christopher Ivory


Wide Receivers

1. Jordy Nelson - This should be a shootout, I'll take Rodger's favorite target any day
2. Hakeem Nicks - Ditto on the shootout, Nicks is Manning's go to guy in critical situations
3. Victor Cruz - Disappointed last week, but should rebound vs a shoddy Packers secondary
4. Marques Colston - You have to beat the 49ers through the air and he is Brees' best option
5. Wes Welker - Only 4 for 41 last time vs Denver
6. Demaryius Thomas - He's managed to keep up the big numbers and Tebow will have to find him to keep up with the Pats
7. Andre Johnson - Looked rusty last week, and gets a tough matchup in Baltimore
8. Michael Crabtree - They'll have to keep up with Brees and Crabtree is going to get all those chances
9. Greg Jennings - He falls because of the time he's missed and the risk of re-injury
10. Mario Manningham
11. Anquan Boldin
12. Torrey Smith
13. Robert Meachem
14. Deion Branch
15. James Jones



Tight Ends

1. Rob Gronkowski - There is no other conceivable 1-2 punch to lead off TE
2. Jimmy Graham
3. Aaron Hernandez - Despite Gronk, had over 300 yards and 2 TDs over his last 3
4. Jermichael Finley - He's been inconsistent, but had his 2nd best game of the year against the Giants
5. Vernon Davis
6. Jake Ballard
7. Ed Dickson
8. Owen Daniels - Had 6 targets to Dreessen's 0 and the hand sounds okay


Kickers

1. David Akers
2. Mason Crosby
3. John Kasay
4. Billy Cundiff
5. Stephen Gostkowski
6. Neil Rackers
7. Lawrence Tynes
8. Matt Prater

Defenses/Special Teams

1. BAL Defense
2. HOU Defense
3. NO Defense
4. GB Defense
5. NE Defense
6. SF Defense
7. NYG Defense
8. DEN Defense]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/325/divisional-round-rankingshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/CkWfHvmoits/wild-card-weekend-rankingshttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/324The Fantasy Football Freaks have compiled their rankings for the first round of the playoffs. Find out who they think are the strongest players at each position and good luck in all of your postseason contests.Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:39:20 -0600
The regular fantasy season may be over, but playoff challenges of all kinds are just beginning. The Fantasy Football Freaks have compiled their rankings for the first round. Find out who they think are the strongest players at each position and good luck in all of your postseason contests.

Quarterbacks

Both Brees and Stafford finished the season on fire and we could be in for an epic shootout in the Superdome. Obviously, these guys get top billing this week. Close behind is Eli Manning, who finished 6th amongst QBs in total points, and Matt Ryan who gets to face Eli's defense. They have been known to give up lots of points to QBs this season.

1. Drew Brees
2. Matthew Stafford
3. Eli Manning
4. Matt Ryan
5. Ben Roethlisberger
6. Tim Tebow
7. Andy Dalton
8. Texans QB - T.J. Yates or Jake Delhomme

Running Backs

1. Arian Foster - He is Houston's most important offensive weapon
2. Ahmad Bradshaw - Finished strong with 5 TDs in the final 3 games
3. Michael Turner - Looked strong against Tampa
4. Darren Sproles - Led all Saints RBs in scoring this season
5. Isaac Redman - Gets a full workload with Mendenhall out
6. Christopher Ivory - Benefits from a strong finale and no Ingram
7. Willis McGahee - Hoping for a shot or two at the end zone
8. Cedric Benson - Ditto
9. Kevin Smith - Durability is a concern and this will likely be a passing game
10. Brandon Jacobs
11. Ben Tate
12. Pierre Thomas
13. John Clay
14. Bernard Scott
15. Lance Ball
16. Maurice Morris

Wide Receivers

1. Calvin Johnson - Arguably the best in the league and this is when they need him most
2. Victor Cruz - He's been lethal and Manning's favorite target on the year
3. Julio Jones - He's on fire and getting the best looks at the end zone
4. Marques Colston - With Moore out, Colston sees extra targets in this shootout
5. Hakeem Nicks - 1B to Victor Cruz right now, but there isn't that much of a dropoff
6. Roddy White - Like him less than Jones, because he gets less TD looks, but still solid here
7. Antonio Brown - Outperformed Wallace down the stretch
8. Mike Wallace - Hasn't shown his big play ability lately
9. A.J. Green
10. Andre Johnson - Will play, but expected to be limited
11. Robert Meachem
12. Demaryius Thomas
13. Titus Young
14. Jerome Simpson
15. Nate Burleson

Tight Ends

1. Jimmy Graham - Gronk's on a bye? Who else could possibly be #1?
2. Tony Gonzalez - 4th best TE in the league, Giants ranked 27th against TE
3. Brandon Pettigrew - Like him in a shootout, the only worry is he scored 1 point against the Saints last time
4. Jermaine Gresham - Always has a chance to post a TD
5. Heath Miller
6. Tony Scheffler
7. Owen Daniels
8. Joel Dreessen
9. Jake Ballard

Kickers

1. John Kasay
2. Neil Rackers
3. Matt Bryant
4. Jason Hanson
5. Shaun Suisham
6. Lawrence Tynes
7. Mike Nugent
8. Matt Prater

Defenses/Special Teams

1. PIT Defense
2. HOU Defense
3. CIN Defense
4. DEN Defense
5. NYG Defense
6. NO Defense
7. ATL Defense
8. DET Defense]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/324/wild-card-weekend-rankingshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/AfF0DfYVmYM/week-17-gems-for-the-last-weekendhttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/322Remember that week 17 is a no name weekend where a lot of bench warmers will get their shot to light it up.Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:02:38 -0600
This is the last weekend for fantasy football and time to ask yourself whom you should start if you made it to your money rounds. Week 17 is a crazy week to have a championship weekend, but it seems as most players will be playing, the question is, how long? Here are some players you can start this weekend and see solid results from.

Matt Flynn is probably going to start and play the whole game. The Packers have the number 1 seed all wrapped up and don’t need to play Aaron Rodgers. Insert Flynn who will have all the wide receivers at his disposal. Look for a big game out of Flynn and ride home with a victory.

Josh McCown is getting the start again. Just a couple weeks ago he was throwing dodge balls at kids in P.E. class, now he’s starting for the Bears. Shows you how pathetic the Bears are, but also how going up against a terrible Vikings secondary could really help McCown’s fantasy numbers.

Toby Gerhart is starting for the Vikings and has proven that he can handle the workload. He will do that again this weekend going up against the Bears that have nothing to play for and might rest their starters.

Donald Brown is going to get a lot of carries for the Colts and they are going up against a terrible Jaguars defense. The Colts will do their best not to win and even if they are down I see them focusing on running the ball.

Doug Baldwin will cap off his solid rookie season with a bang. He will be going up against one of the leagues worst pass defenses in Arizona. Baldwin is a nice possession receiver that should get about 10 looks this weekend.

James Jones is going to get a lot of playing time with Greg Jennings and the Packers wanting to rest Jordy Nelson. He has blazing speed, okay hands, and should be getting a lot of targets this weekend. That is a combo for success.

Jared Cook finally showed up and had a weekend that all of us knew he would have one day. He will do it again against the Texans. The Texans have a solid defense, but they will be resting up for the playoffs.

Good luck on your money weekend and remember that week 17 is a no name weekend where a lot of bench warmers will get their shot to light it up.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/322/week-17-gems-for-the-last-weekendhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/dD6qTsc93I4/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-17http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/321If your league goes down to the final whistle then you're going to need our input from our week 17 ratings and projections.Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:11:20 -0600
If your league goes down to the final whistle then you're going to need our input from our week 17 ratings and projections.

Cam Newton CAR QB
Could be a shoot-out with two of the highest scoring QBs of the year. A must start against a very beatable New Orleans pass defense.

Tom Brady NE QB
Brady had a 31 point day vs Buffalo in week 3. This time he gets home field advantage. He's playing for home field advantage throughout the playoffs, but could still sit down early if they get out to a big lead.

Drew Brees NO QB
Awesome season with 5,000+ yards and 41 touchdowns through 16 games and gets a solid matchup to finish the season.

Michael Vick PHI QB
This game doesn't matter to either party, but it is a division rivalry and the Eagles want to finish on a high note. First time around, Vick tallied 237 passing yards, 1 TD, and 54 rushing yards.

Matthew Stafford DET QB
Went for 276 and a TD the first time facing the Packers, but coughed up 3 picks. If he plays the full game, could benefit from facing some backup players.

Maurice Jones-Drew JAX RB
Fared well the first time around vs the Colts - 137 total yards and a score.

Matt Ryan ATL QB
Will finish strong against the Bucs. He saw them in week 3 and passed for 330 yards and 1 TD.

Eli Manning NYG QB
The wheels have fallen off the last two games but it's do or die this week. Average matchup against Dallas.

Tony Romo DAL QB
Keep an eye on the status of the hand. If he's healthy then he's a great play vs the Giants. He had his best point total of the year against them and Dallas needs this win to advance.

Tim Tebow DEN QB
Tebow will need the magic this week to get into the playoffs. He beat KC once this year and picked up 16 points along the way.

Philip Rivers SD QB
Threw for 274 yards and 2 TDs last time vs Oakland. They'll be fighting to spoil Oakland's playoff chances.

Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF QB
Last time around he threw for 369 yards and 2 passing TDs vs the Patriots. Of course, he's only thrown for 300 yards 1 more time since then.

Ray Rice BAL RB
Will finish the season strong. Racked up 147 total yards and 2 TDs last round vs Cincy.

Michael Bush OAK RB
Best game of the year came against these same Chargers (157 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 85 passing yards). This time he's at home and must win to have any shot at the playoffs.

Calvin Johnson DET WR
He has 300+ yards and 3 scores in the last 2 games and did find the end zone against Green Bay back in week 12.

Joe Webb MIN QB
Webb is a solid option and Chicago is struggling. Opposing QBs are averaging 270 yards and 1.47 TDs per game on Chicago.

Josh Freeman TB QB
Has played Atlanta 3 times dating back to last season and has averaged 15.7 fantasy points per game.

LeSean McCoy PHI RB
Any Reid says McCoy will play this week and they're going for the Win even though there's no shot at the postseason. Last round vs the 'skins, McCoy picked up 139 total yards and a TD.

Reggie Bush MIA RB
Going for his 5th straight 100 yard outing (crazy, I know). The Jets gave him 71 yards last time, so he has a real chance to get it done.

Carson Palmer OAK QB
He's not playing great but has played very well against San Diego in their last two meetings.

]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/321/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-17http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/ZDLf6R-GKAs/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-17http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/320Week 17 features some good matchups for players that might actually still be available on the waiver wire. If your league goes down to the wire then give this list a look.Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:37:47 -0600
Week 17 features some good matchups for players that might actually still be available on the waiver wire. If your league goes down to the wire then give this list a look.

Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF QB
The Bills QB has had a pretty nasty season. He started off really strong, beginning the season with three straight 20+ point efforts and led Buffalo to a 4-1 start. Then he signed his big contract and they went into a tailspin, losing 7 straight at one point, and only recording 2 more 20+ point games the rest of the way. Well, he has a legitimate chance to record one last such game in the Bills season finale versus the Patriots. The last time he faced them, back in week 3, he went for 369 passing yards and 2 TDs.

Toby Gerhart MIN RB
The Vikings RB has really gotten a chance to shine recently. That's mostly due to Adrian Peterson being injured, but even with AP in the lineup, Gerhart managed to produce. He has at least 10 fantasy points in 5 straight games. Now AP is dealing with some serious knee injuries, so Gerhart will be pressed into a full workload once again. This week he sees a tougher matchup against the division rival Bears, but a full compliment of touches will help and he has also shown he can be a dual threat by posting solid receiving numbers over the last 4 games - 15 receptions, 107 yards, 3 TDs.

Kahlil Bell CHI RB
Bell has been one of the few bright spots on the Bears offense down the stretch. He's taken full advantage of his opportunity with the absence of Matt Forte. He's posted back to back efforts of more than 100 yards. He has 14 catches over the last 3 weeks, his versatility being one of his biggest strengths. This week he looks like a great option going up against the Vikings. Their defense has been atrocious this year, exactly the kind you want to square off against in fantasy football.

Michael Crabtree SF WR
Crabtree has only put up low end numbers this year, ranking 49th in point generation amongst WR. He did miss some time with injury which didn't help, but he has had his moments this year. One of those came a few weeks ago, the first time he played the Rams. He recorded a season high score with 96 yards and a TD. He gets to face them again this week and this is still an important game for the 49ers. A win means they lock up the last remaining first round bye in the NFC.

Torrey Smith BAL WR
The Ravens rookie receiver has had an up and down season. He's had five games over 10 points and eight games of less than 5 points. One of his better weeks came against the same Bengals team he'll see this week. He took them for 165 yards and a score. The risk here is that there's no guarantee he'll play the whole game, but this game does matter for the Ravens. A win means they'll lock up the division title.

Jared Cook TEN TE
It was the end of last season that Cook first started generating buzz, and he waited until the end of this season once again to ramp up the hype. In week 15 it was 103 yards against Indy and in week 16 he went for 169 yards and a TD. I'm not so sure that numbers of that size are in the cards this week vs Houston, but he'll have his opportunities as they commit resources to the wideouts. Also, don't forget that Cook managed to find the end zone the first time he faced the Texans earlier this year.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/320/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-17http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/PTWvDdU5A2o/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-17http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/318If your league runs down to the wire then you're still on the lookout for players that can improve your roster. Here are a few guys that have potential going into the final week.Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:20:49 -0600
If your league runs down to the wire then you're still on the lookout for players that can improve your roster. Here are a few guys that have potential going into the final week.

Kyle Orton KC QB
In 2 games as the Broncos QB, Orton has thrown for 599 yards. He's been light on the TDs, only recording 1, but he's started to build onto his rapport with Dwayne Bowe. This weeks game doesn't matter to KC, other than having the chance to play the role of spoilers for the Oakland Raiders. It also helps that this is a matchup that Orton is very familiar with from his time in Denver. The Raiders rank 27th against the pass, averaging 253 yards and 1.6 TDs.

Toby Gerhart MIN RB
Unfortunately, Adrian Peterson went down with a serious knee injury last week and forced the Vikings to hand the ball over to Gerhart the rest of the way. He's really come alive this season scoring 10 or more fantasy points in 5 straight games. Last week he managed over 100 yards on only 11 carries. His final matchup isn't easy coming against the Bears, but he's going to get a full compliment of touches.

Kahlil Bell CHI RB
Marion who? Bell went over 100 total yards for the second straight week and has looked very versatile coming out of the backfield. Barber is still ailing from a calf injury, but even if he returns, Bell is a viable option because he fulfills the role of a pass catcher, replacing some of the lost abilities of Matt Forte. The final matchup of the year is good. The Vikings rank 23rd against the run.

Jabar Gaffney WAS WR
He has finished the season strong and is still an option in 40% of leagues. Of course, that is mostly because the vast majority of teams have been eliminated by this point, but if he happens to be out there in your league, he has proven to be a valuable weapon lately. He has at least 77 yards in three straight games and 2 TDs over that span. His final matchup is vs the Eagles. The game doesn't matter for either team, so everyone involved should play this one out.

Darrius Heyward-Bey OAK WR
Heyward-Bey has been having a decent season as a low end WR. Lately, he's been putting up some healthy numbers with at least 70 receiving yards in 4 straight games. He's in a good position for the final week of the year because this game truly matters to the Raiders. They need a win to have any real chance of making it into the playoffs. He'll have to do his part against the Chargers who are average against the pass.

Brent Celek PHI TE
Celek is finishing the year on a positive note. He's scored in his last two outings and amassed over 200 yards. He gets to finish the year against the Redskins who rank 30th against TE. They have averaged 59 yards and .53 TDs this year. Most recently Kyle Rudolph gained 8 fantasy points against them.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/318/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-17http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/ktYHgnqSA5I/weekly-freaks-2011-week-16http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/319Check out this weeks big producers. Their numbers were good enough to be declared the Freaks of the Week.Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:15:58 -0600
Check out this weeks big producers. Their numbers were good enough to be declared the Freaks of the Week.

Aaron Rodgers GB QB
Aaron Rodgers returned from an off week against the Chiefs to take it out on the divisional rival Chicago Bears, eliminating their playoff chances. Rodgers threw for a career-high and first 5 touchdown game while completing 21 of 29 passes for 283 yards and no interceptions. The win locked up home field advantage for the Packers throughout the playoffs, so the road to the Super Bowl this year will go thru Lambeau field. With a season filled with records being broken, Rodgers set another NFL record with his 13th 100+ QB rating game of the season. He also joined select company becoming only the 3rd QB since 1960 to throw for at least 3 touchdowns in 10 games of a season. Rodgers will finish the season at Lambeau field against the Detroit Lions, who also clinched a playoff berth with their win in week 16.

Cam Newton CAR QB
Yep, just the rookie, Cam Newton, again on the "Freaks of the Week" list. Newton and the Panthers routed the struggling Tampa Bay Bucs with a 48-16 beat-down in week 16. Newton continued his record breaking ways by breaking Peyton Manning's rookie record for total passing yards (3,739) in a season. In Sunday's game, Newton completed 12 of 17 passes for 171 yards and 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added 6 rushes for 65 yards and another score. That gives him a total of 20 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns on the year. It was also his 6th 30+ fantasy point game of the season for those of you who were lucky enough to snag him up in your draft. He'll end the season in a potential shoot-out against the New Orleans Saints.

Jordy Nelson GB WR
Jordy Nelson had a near perfect game catching 6 of 7 passes thrown to him in the Packer's explosive win over the Chicago Bears. Nelson was consistently able to get behind the Bears secondary for some big yardage plays for the Packers. He racked up 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on the night. Jordy has quietly become the Packers leading wide receiver with 1,101 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year. He'll face a beatable Detroit secondary in week 17 to close out the year.

Jared Cook TEN TE
Jared Cook made our list of Freaks this week with his best game of the year scoring 22 fantasy points in the Titans win over the Jags. Cook accumulated 8 catches for 169 yards and a score, averaging 21.1 yards per reception. Jared Cook will finish his 2011 season against the Houston Texans who are a top 5 pass defense vs TEs this year. The Texans are only allowing 41 yards and .2 TDs per game to opposing tight ends.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/319/weekly-freaks-2011-week-16http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/E_Dz26QzjAY/week-16-gems-down-to-the-wirehttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/317To all those playing for their fantasy football championships or playing for third place, good luck this weekend. I hope if you choose one of these players that they take you to fantasy glory.Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:09:01 -0600
This is usually the weekend where people are freaking out because they finally made it to the final championship game. I am actually in 2 of my 3 leagues final games. If you are like me you are thinking of starting other players than the studs that have tough matchups that actually got you here. Have no fear, leave your studs in, but if you need a reach here are some.

Kyle Orton is a great game manager and he showed that by beating the undefeated Packers (thank you). Now is his turn to shine. He has great wide receivers to throw to and will carve up the Raiders secondary that got killed by the Lions last week. Pick him up and start him with confidence.

Josh McCown is getting the starting nod this weekend against the Packers. The Packers will be up big by half time and will probably rest most of their starters the rest of the game. Mike Martz is probably one of the most stubborn offensive coordinators out there and will be throwing the ball at least 40 times.

Donald Brown is still out there in a lot of leagues and if you are like me you have to decide if you want to use Brown as an RB2. He is going up against a Texans defense that will be playing soft because they are already in the playoffs and don’t want to get hurt. Brown will be a safe start and should get you double-digit fantasy points.

Ricky Williams is a player that is playing second fiddle to Ray Rice, but they just lost a big game and the defense will be on fire. They will be up big, which means a lot of garbage time for Williams. He will get some big runs and plays this weekend. Look for a big game out of him.

Darrius Heyward-Bey is the only healthy wide receiver on the Raiders right now that has speed and the ability to catch the ball. That combination is an opportunity to see some big numbers. Start him and be happy with him at a WR3.

Jerome Simpson is going to get more looks this weekend with A.J. Green being hurt. Simpson should have a solid game and could be a sleeper for you in your line up.

To all those playing for their fantasy football championships or playing for third place, good luck this weekend. I hope if you choose one of these players that they take you to fantasy glory.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/317/week-16-gems-down-to-the-wirehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/T2la7PSCRH8/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-16http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/316For most of you, this week matters more than any other. Be sure to do your homework and use our projections and rankings to start the best roster possible!Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:05:08 -0600
For most of you, this week matters more than any other. Be sure to do your homework and use our projections and rankings to start the best roster possible!

Cam Newton CAR QB
Had an off week with only 18 fantasy points but gets an awesome opportunity to make up for it against the 29th ranked Tampa Bay pass defense.

Drew Brees NO QB
Brees' numbers have been awesome this year nearing 5,000 pass yards and 37 passing touchdowns. Gets Atlanta this week who he put up 322 yards and 2 scores on back in week 10.

Aaron Rodgers GB QB
Disappointing game and they lost but he still managed 22 fantasy points. Plays Chicago who he put up 297 yards and 3 scores on back in week 3.

Tom Brady NE QB
Every matchup is a good one for Brady, but this one has extra luster if you recall what he did to Miami in the season opener - 517 passing yards and 4 TDs.

Tony Romo DAL QB
Since has last played the Eagles (week 8) he has 18 TDs and 2 INTs. He'll need to stay hot to avoid another thrashing by them.

Matthew Stafford DET QB
Fresh off a big 4 TD effort against Oakland, he gets another California team this week with the Chargers coming to town. Flacco just scored 18 points on them and he's no Matthew Stafford.

Ray Rice BAL RB
If you hit the Championship game with Rice in your lineup, you're in good shape. This is the same team he burned for 214 total yards and a score a few weeks ago - and this time he's playing at home where's he's played even better.

Tim Tebow DEN QB
The Win streak is broken, but fantasy owners were rewarded with Tebow's best performance of the season. This week the Bills offer another alluring matchup. The Bills are poor against the pass and the run.

Michael Vick PHI QB
He looked good against the Jets, so is he back to being Mike Vick for good? We'll find out in a big Christmas Eve rematch in Dallas. Vick was dominant back in week 8 when he beat Dallas handily 34-7 (279 passing yards, 2 TDs, 50 rushing yards).

Philip Rivers SD QB
Rivers should finish the season with decent numbers. The Lions have allowed at least 18 fantasy points to 5 of their last 6 opposing QBs.

Arian Foster HOU RB
Outside of Foster, Houston's offense didn't much of anything in week 15. Plays another bottom ranked rush defense in Indy but they did just hold Chris Johnson to 10 points. Johnson who?

Matt Ryan ATL QB
Had a good day against the Saints in week 10, with 351 yards and 2 passing TDs. This time around things are clicking with Roddy White and Julio Jones.

Calvin Johnson DET WR
Megatron has returned to his old scoring ways! San Diego is surprisely tough against opposing wideouts as of late. Of course, start him.

Maurice Jones-Drew JAX RB
Has exceeded 100 total yards in 6 straight and gets 2 bottom 10 run defenses to finish the year. He last saw the Titans in the opener and went for 97 yards and a score.

Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB
Had a bad game with the injury throwing 3 INTs and 0 TDs. Wouldn't surprise me if they rest him this week and put Batch out there.

Rex Grossman WAS QB
He gets one more great matchup on the schedule and will make amends for his low score vs the Giants. The Vikes allow the most fantasy points in the league to QBs.

Mark Sanchez NYJ QB
He's been consistently better at home this season, scoring 17 points or more in every home game, compared to only 1 road game where he scored over 14 points.

Josh Freeman TB QB
Hasn't gone over 200 yards passing since week 11 and hasn't won since week 6.

LeSean McCoy PHI RB
He simply puts up better numbers when Vick is in at quarterback. Dallas ranks 7th against the run, but McCoy is too shifty to contain. He went for 185 yards and 2 scores on Dallas in week 8.

Eli Manning NYG QB
Had a good matchup last week but never showed up! You don't know which Jets defense is going to show up but on average they're only allowing 13.9 points per game to QBs.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/316/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-16http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/sx3BPh7_IQo/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-16http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/314This weeks list of under the radar players that could make an impact on your roster in week 16.Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:43:48 -0600
Kyle Orton KC QB
Orton is no stranger to the Oakland Raiders. He's played them twice dating back to last season and combined for over 500 passing yards, 3 TDs, and 34 rushing yards. That's an average of 17.5 fantasy points per game. He's getting his second start on his new offense and is ready to make the most of his weapons, particularly Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston.

Matt Moore MIA QB
Despite some injury concerns last week, he got through the full game and recorded another Win for the Dolphins. This week he gets rewarded with a terrific matchup against the Patriots. They allow an average of 310 yards and 1.4 TDs per week. The last 4 QBs to face the Patriots all scored at least 18 fantasy points and that list doesn't include any high end QBs (Tebow, Grossman, Orlovsky, and Vince Young).

Kahlil Bell CHI RB
Last week, Bell was the lone bright spot on the Bears offense. He came up with over 100 total yards and a TD, easily outshining Marion Barber. It also marked the second straight week that he recorded 5 catches. His dual threat ability will come in handy again this week vs the division rival Packers.

Jonathan Stewart CAR RB
The Carolina RB has seen his value hampered most of this season by DeAngelo Williams and Cam Newton. In spite of all the touches they take away from him, he has still managed to fall inside the Top 30 RBs in terms of fantasy point generation. He still holds value for the bottom of your RB rotation when the matchup is right. This week is a great example. It's Round 2 vs the Buccaneers and their league worst run defense. Stewart made good use of them in week 13, collecting 99 total yards and a TD.

Steve Breaston KC WR
Breaston benefits from the QB swap that saw Tyler Palko head back to the bench in favor of Kyle Orton. In his debut game, Orton threw for 299 yards on the Packers. Breaston had 6 targets on the day, 4 catches and 50 yards, edging out Dwayne Bowe in all of those categories. This week's matchup vs Oakland is another good one and Orton has plenty of experience against them. Oakland knows they need to keep tabs on Bowe, giving Breaston some looks at the end zone.

Brent Celek PHI TE
Celek has only had 3 double digit fantasy games on the year and he's fresh off his best outing of the season. His second best game of the year was a 7 catch, 94 yard effort with a TD against the same Dallas team he'll square off against this week.

Dustin Keller NYJ TE
The most important facts to know here are that the Giants secondary is very bad (they rank 27th against TE allowing 57 yards and .5 TDs per week) and Mark Sanchez doesn't exactly have a plethora of great receiving options. In fact Keller (90) has only 1 fewer targets than Santonio Holmes (91) this year and he actually has more catches. Look for him to be a favorite again this week against the in state rivals.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/314/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-16http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/hUq6JlKsp0c/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-16http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/312If you've made it this far, odds are you have a pretty solid team. So there aren't too many pieces out there worth any consideration, but there are some that have come on strong down the stretch and have the right matchups the rest of the way.Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:59:55 -0600
If you've made it this far, odds are you have a pretty solid team. So there aren't too many pieces out there worth any consideration, but there are some that have come on strong down the stretch and have the right matchups the rest of the way.

Kyle Orton KC QB
Well it took long enough to get him under center and he sure made an impact, helping the Chiefs crush the Packers chances of an undefeated season. He came up just shy of 300 passing yards and couldn't find the end zone, but with a beast like Dwayne Bowe on the roster, there is breakout potential waiting to happen. In his 2nd start for the Chiefs, Orton will come face to face with a familiar adversary. He's no stranger to the Raiders from his time in Denver. He last saw them the opening week of the season and he picked up 304 passing yards and 1 TD.

Donald Brown IND RB
Due to the upcoming matchup against the 3rd ranked Texans run defense, give this guy a look only if you're desperate. He's been really productive lately, going over 10 fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 outings. He has only been named the starter in 1 of those contests, but he's consistently seen more carries than Joseph Addai. The reason he's an option is because of his ability to break off the big play which he demonstrated by ripping off an 80 yard TD run against the Titans. Don't pin your hopes on another 10 point day, but if you're desperate, at least he's going to get his touches.

Jabar Gaffney WAS WR
The Redskins favorable schedule down the stretch has worked out nicely for Gaffney. He's had at least 72 yards receiving in 3 of his last 4 games. He leads the team in receptions and yards over that stretch. The production will carry over at least one more week when Washington hosts the Vikings. Their secondary has been shoddy and just got picked apart by Drew Brees.

Demaryius Thomas DEN WR
Thomas continued his hot streak with a third consecutive outing with 100 yards and/or a TD. Over that stretch, no other Broncos receiver even comes close to his numbers (18 catches, 338 yards, 3 TDs). Week 16 has him headed to Buffalo where they've been below average against the pass.

Brent Celek PHI TE
What's not to like about a 156 yard, 1 TD performance from a TE? Celek only has a handful of big games this year, but it has been a marked improvement from last season. He's fresh off his season best and the rest of the schedule looks promising. Week 16 the Eagles get their rematch against the Cowboys. One of the few soft spots for their defense has been the TE position. Celek contributed to that ranking with his numbers back in week 8. He hauled in 7 passes for 94 yards and a TD.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/312/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-16http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/f5GCtR_pxSk/weekly-freaks-2011-week-15http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/313This weeks Freaks supercharged many a fantasy offense. There were a lot of big numbers put up right when playoff teams needed them most.Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:50:17 -0600
This weeks Freaks supercharged many a fantasy offense. There were a lot of big numbers put up right when playoff teams needed them most.

Drew Brees NO QB
Drew Brees had a monster game in week 15 for his fantasy football owners! Brees took advantage of a great matchup against the 30st ranked pass defense of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings on average were allowing 270 yards and 2 scores per game to opposing QBs. He easily topped that with a huge game completing 32 of 40 passes for 412 yards and 5 touchdowns. This was Brees' best game of the year scoring 37 fantasy points, which was his 3rd 33+ fantasy point game of the season. He is leading all QBs this year in total passing yards with 4,780 and is 2nd in passing touchdowns with 37. He'll have two average matchups against Atlanta and Carolina to finish out the season.

Matthew Stafford DET QB
Matthew Stafford was able to pull off a comeback win over the Oakland Raiders 28-27. He completed 29 of 52 pass attempts for 391 yards and 4 touchdowns. This was the 3rd time this season Stafford has thrown for 4+ touchdowns in a game and his 2nd 30+ fantasy point game. Stafford has lived up to the pre-draft predictions of becoming a top 5 quarterback this season. He has 4,154 total passing yards, 33 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions. Stafford will get two favorable matchups to end the year starting with the San Diego Chargers followed by the Green Bay Packers.

C.J. Spiller BUF RB
CJ Spiller makes our "Freaks of the Week" list for the first time this season with a huge game against the Miami Dolphins. This was somewhat of a surprise since Miami has been pretty tough on opposing running backs this year allowing a low 12.4 fantasy points, 78 yards and .31 TDs per game. Spiller exploded for 91 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 73 receiving yards and 1 receiving TD in the game. He'll get two above average matchups to finish the season.

Reggie Bush MIA RB
Reggie Bush is having a very good year and playing great throughout the second half of the season. He has 9+ fantasy points in every game since week 8, including three straight 100-yard rushing games in a row. Bush had his best game of the year against the Bills rushing for a career-high 203 yards and a score. Next week, he'll face an average New England rush defense that allowed McGahee and Ball to run pretty effectively on them. His final game of the season will be against a solid but inconsistent New York Jets rush defense.

LeSean McCoy PHI RB
LeSean McCoy had a monster game helping the (6-8) Eagles take down the (8-6) New York Jets. McCoy finished the game with 102 yards on 18 carries and 3 touchdowns. He was able to rack up 28 fantasy points against a Jets rush defense that was only allowing 16 points per game to opposing RBs. McCoy is leading all running backs in total fantasy points (270) and rushing touchdowns (17) and is 2nd in total rushing yards (1,274). McCoy's next game will be against the Dallas Cowboys who he rushed for 185 yards and 2 scores on back in week 8.

Calvin Johnson DET WR
Megatron is back! Calvin Johnson broke out of his 2 game slump finding the end zone twice in Detroit's comeback win over the Oakland Raiders. Johnson finished the game with 9 receptions, 214 yards and 2 touchdowns. That gives him 14 touchdowns on the year with 2 games to play. He'll go up against an above average San Diego secondary in week 16.

Brent Celek PHI TE
Brent Celek hadn't scored over 7 fantasy points in any of the last 6 games, but erupted for a career-high 156 yards and a score in the Eagles rout of the New York Jets. Celek was able to put up 'Gronkowski-like' numbers against a pretty tough Jets defense that just fell apart. In week 16, he'll face the 24th ranked defense at stopping tight ends in the Dallas Cowboys. Celek had his 2nd best game of the season against Dallas back in week 8 when he caught 7 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/313/weekly-freaks-2011-week-15http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/f2lSKAWENy8/week-15-gem-zeros-that-could-be-playoff-heroshttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/311This is the season to look at your team and ask yourself if you have what it takes to get into the championship game for your fantasy football league. If the answer is no, then you will want to give these guys a look.Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:55:43 -0600
This is the season to look at your team and ask yourself if you have what it takes to get into the championship game for your fantasy football league. If the answer is no, then you will want to give these guys a look.

Jake Locker is going to start this weekend with Matt Hasselbeck hurt with a calf injury. Locker looked decent last week and will have a chance to shine this week. The Titans are still fighting for a playoff spot and Locker has the moxy to lead them to a solid win

T.J. Yates is going up against a soft Carolina defense. Yates has been very serviceable for the Texans the last couple of weeks. Since the Texans are already in the playoffs they may open up the playbook more for him to see what else he can do, which may lead to more big plays.

Marion Barber killed a lot of fantasy owners last week with his fumble, but he still had a solid game. He will do much of the same this weekend against the Seahawks, who are terrible on the road. He cost his team the game last week and he will look for revenge this week. Look for him to get about 25 to 30 touches this weekend.

Peyton Hillis has been a huge disappointment. Blame it all on John Madden and his curse. But, this week he will have a good game against a suspect Arizona rush defense. He will get about 20 to 25 touches and should get in the end zone.

James Jones is going to be a wide receiver that will be getting a lot of time with Greg Jennings out. He will be getting extra targets and with his speed will take advantage of the deep pass.

Doug Baldwin is just too good not to be thrown the ball. The team is trying to give Golden Tate an opportunity to shine, but Baldwin’s route running and pass catching ability are just too strong. He is a solid start against the Bears this weekend.

Jake Ballard is a nice tight end that has the case of the stone hands sometimes. He has a great quarterback that can get him the ball, but sometimes he gets so wide open that he drops the ball. He will have a solid game against the Redskins and should put up double-digit fantasy points.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/311/week-15-gem-zeros-that-could-be-playoff-heroshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/PMUp8ocodJI/to-worry-or-not-to-worry-week-15http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/310You count on your key players in the playoffs more than ever. A couple of key pieces have sputtered recently. Should you be worried?Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:26:10 -0600
You count on your key players in the playoffs more than ever. A couple of key pieces have sputtered recently. Should you be worried?

Michael Turner, Worry

Don’t panic, but I don’t think Turner will put up the monster numbers you want this time of year. He played a weak Panthers run defense last week, and now faces a tougher Jaguars run defense. Not to mention, he has a groin injury that isn’t totally hashed out yet. I'm expecting another average week from him. Up to 10 points or around there. By all means start the guy (unless you're stacked at RB), but don’t expect spectacular numbers.

Mike Wallace, Worry

Wallace hasn’t put up 70+ yards since week 8, and there is no reason to believe he will this week. He might lose his starting quarterback (Roethlisberger is in a walking boot) and he is going up against a pretty good defense in the 49ers. The 49ers haven’t allowed many touchdowns through the air or on the ground. With Wallace’s latest performances, and a backup quarterback under center, I can't see much good coming out of this.

Michael Vick, Worry

In his last three starts he hasn’t had more than 12 fantasy points and that should say it all. He played a mediocre Dolphins pass defense and couldn’t get much going. Now he plays the 6th ranked pass defense of the New York Jets and we expect it to get better? I don’t think so, especially with all the times Vick has gotten hit recently. That pressure against some of the best corners in the league doesn’t add up too well in my book.

Andy Dalton, Do Not Worry

Dalton is going up against a strong St. Louis Rams pass defense, but I am confident in his abilities. I think he is a great young quarterback and should put up some good numbers for your fantasy team in the playoffs. Even though his stats have gone haywire recently, I am still confident in his abilities. I think he will definitely put up some solid numbers and defy what recent statistics have shown.

Good luck to everybody in their playoff games!]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/310/to-worry-or-not-to-worry-week-15http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/mwBXGoODT_A/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-15http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/309You've fought all season to get to this point, make sure you make the right roster selections to end your opponent's season and keep yours going.Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:09:39 -0600
You've fought all season to get to this point, make sure you make the right roster selections to end your opponent's season and keep yours going.

Drew Brees NO QB
Plays the 2nd worst pass defense in the league allowing 270 yards and 2 scores per game to QBs.

Aaron Rodgers GB QB
Had his worst game of the year in the Packers romp of the Raiders scoring a QB rating under 100 for the first time. Faces 3 middle of the road pass defenses to finish the season.

Tom Brady NE QB
With the exception of Christian Ponder's outburst in week 13 (28 points), no QB has scored more than 11 points on them since week 10. Brady won't have any trouble overtaking that number, but Denver is no pushover and they're on some sort of magical run.

Cam Newton CAR QB
Another solid fantasy game for Newton last week with another tough challenge coming up. Atlanta is ranked 4th (202 yds, 1 td) at stopping opposing QBs.

Arian Foster HOU RB
Had an off week with only 7 points but gets 3 great matchups in a row starting with the 31st ranked Carolina rush defense.

Tony Romo DAL QB
Fresh off his best game of the year. Too bad it was a loss, but that just means Dallas is desperate for a win in Tampa. They're defense has been ugly so Romo will have another big week.

Tim Tebow DEN QB
Every week it looks like his numbers will finally fall flat and it just doesn't happen. Good for him and even better when he gets a good passing matchup. He has that this week vs the Patriots who feature one of the worst defenses in the league.

Michael Vick PHI QB
Vick returned to the lineup just in time to hit a difficult schedule. He's only scored 12 points in each of his last 3 starts and faces off against a top 5 Jets secondary that's averaging 13.2 points per week to QBs.

Matthew Stafford DET QB
His playoff schedule is terrific. First up are the Raiders. The lowest scoring QB to face them the last 6 weeks notched 18 points.

Eli Manning NYG QB
He's rolling and playing great but gets 2 very tough games in a row. First is Washington ranking 10th and allowing a low 15.9 points followed by the 5th ranked New York Jets.

Matt Ryan ATL QB
The Jaguars rank 6th against the pass which has me expecting a similar performance to what we saw against the Texans. Somewhere in the ballpark of 250 yards with 1 score - 2 if you're lucky.

Philip Rivers SD QB
Looks good lately, but may be about to hit a brick wall known as the Baltimore Ravens. They rank #1 in preventing fantasy points to QBs.

LeSean McCoy PHI RB
The Jets run defense has rebounded and moved into the top 10, but fellow dual threat Roy Helu gashed them for 20 points a couple weeks ago, full speed ahead with McCoy.

Ray Rice BAL RB
MJD just ran all over the Chargers a couple weeks ago, en route to a 24 point day. Loving Ray Rice yet again this week.

Michael Bush OAK RB
McFadden still doesn't sound close to returning, so Bush makes sense to use against the Lions. It helps that Toby Gerhart managed to tag them for 17 fantasy points last week.

Josh Freeman TB QB
Salvaged a rough outing last week with a rushing TD. Has another difficult opponent facing Dallas this week. It's going to be on him to keep them in this one, so expecting 250 yards and 1-2 scores.

Rex Grossman WAS QB
The turnovers hurt a bit, but still had 250+ yards and 2 TDs vs New England. He will have another good outing this week against the Giants. He has averaged 21 points over his last 2 meetings with the G Men.

Chris Johnson TEN RB
Just when you think he's back, he goes and lays an egg against a beatable New Orleans rush defense. Gets another great matchup with Indy giving up 21+ points to opposing RBs, but who knows!

Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF QB
He's seen Miami once already and couldn't manage a single TD, finishing the day with only 9 fantasy points.

Maurice Jones-Drew JAX RB
If you started him last week, he likely moved you one week deeper into the playoffs. No way you can sit him out now, no matter how stacked you are at RB.

]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/309/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-15http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/m1EaK9p0ZCw/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-15http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/308If your playoff team has any weaknesses, here are a few options that could provide the remedy.Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:30:54 -0600
If your playoff team has any weaknesses, here are a few options that could provide the remedy.

Rex Grossman WAS QB
Grossman did his part last week, notching over 250 passing yards and a pair of scores against the Patriots. That came without TE Fred Davis and with only minimal participation from Roy Helu in the passing game (2 catches for 6 yards compared to 4/42 and 7/54 in the previous two games). He'll be throwing all day long again this week on the road against the Giants. Over the last 3 weeks, no team has allowed more fantasy points to QBs than the Giants.

Carson Palmer OAK QB
The Giants may have been the worst pass defense over the last 3 weeks, but the Lions were right behind them. Most recently they allowed 36 fantasy points to the combination of Minnesota's Christian Ponder and Joe Webb. The Packers taught him a lesson last week after taking him for 4 interceptions. He'll take that reminder and make better decisions against Detroit. One things for certain, he's going to be throwing a lot of passes - 250 and a pair of scores is what I'm expecting at minimum.

Felix Jones DAL RB
Obviously not the deepest sleeper of the week, but for many owners, he is a brand new acquisition following DeMarco Murray's broken ankle. There's a really strong case to make a spot for him in your lineup this week. That case is known as the Buccaneers. They've taken over the mantle of the worst run defense in fantasy football. Most recently they were dominated by MJD who put up obscene numbers on them to build a 37 point performance. Jones is in for a big day in his first start since week 6.

Beanie Wells ARI RB
Also not the deepest sleeper, but he's been up and down all season. In 4 of his last 6 games, he's scored 6 points or less. In the other two games, he scored a combined 41 points. This week will be one of the larger point totals. The Browns mostly held their ground last week against Pittsburgh, but outside of that game, a lot of RBs have destroyed them. By my count, 11 RBs have scored at least 14 points against them this year.

Demaryius Thomas DEN WR
Over the last 3 weeks, Thomas leads Broncos receivers in all of the major receiving stats. He's had 11 grabs for 222 yards and 3 TDs - did I mention, he actually put up those stats in only 2 games? More importantly, the Broncos face the Patriots this week. They have consistently been one of the most QB friendly defenses to face and they rank dead last as of the end of week 14. Tebow has actually looked like a bit of a passer recently and he'll be able to do it again vs this defense, making his primary target a viable option.

Jabar Gaffney WAS WR
He panned out last week against New England, leading the Redskins in receiving yards with 92 and a score. That was just enough to edge out teammate Santana Moss. He has the right matchup to repeat again this week. The Giants are second to last (behind only New England) against the pass. Week after week they have been picked apart by opposing receivers. It also helps that he's been really consistent with at least 70+ yards in 3 of the last 4 games. The lone dud came against the Jets where he had to deal with Revis.

Nate Washington TEN WR
He had his two biggest point totals of the season in the same two games that QB Jake Locker saw significant action. It's a strong possibility that Matt Hasselbeck's calf injury could keep him out again this week. The Titans are headed to Indy and the Colts have struggled against, well, everything. They rank 28th against the pass and Washington could easily have another big day.

Jermichael Finley GB TE
Finley was held without a reception against the Raiders and only had 1 target on the day. This week, I expect him to bounce back strong against the Chiefs. He'll be called upon to help fill the void that has been created with Jennings missing time (knee sprain). The Chiefs also rank 27th against TE, averaging 50 yards and .62 TDs per week.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/308/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-15http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/Cbs2MaioQMU/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-15http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/307Some leagues have already locked in for the playoffs, but if yours are still open then take advantage of some quality fill ins that may still be available on your waiver wire, including Felix Jones who suddenly has new luster.Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:08:20 -0600
Some leagues have already locked in for the playoffs, but if yours are still open then take advantage of some quality fill ins that may still be available on your waiver wire, including Felix Jones who suddenly has new luster.

Rex Grossman WAS QB
He hasn't been the most consistent passer this season, but he just started off on a run of bottom 10 pass defenses, and despite a couple of hiccups, he did what he was expected to do. He had 3 turnovers (1 INT, 2 Fumbles), but he finished the day with 250+ yards and 2 TDs. Not too bad, if he's your desperation quarterback. If you find yourself in a dire position at QB, Grossman makes for a capable fill in the rest of the way with one of the easiest schedules (from a fantasy production standpoint).

Marion Barber CHI RB
Barber continued his scoring ways against Denver, but thanks to an increased workload, he also managed to add over 100 yards to the stat sheet. He's still available in more than 40% of leagues meaning there may still be a chance that you could grab him if you're in need of a RB.

Ryan Grant GB RB
Grant finally got rolling against Oakland thanks to the absence of James Starks (knee). He notched a pair of TD runs and his best yardage effort of the year (98 total). The performance will cause coach McCarthy to put the ball in his hands as long as Starks is out. That will come in handy again next week vs the Chiefs, who allow nearly 120 yards and .8 TD rushing per week.

Felix Jones DAL RB
Jones went on to have a pretty big week after Dallas loss DeMarco Murray to an ankle injury. He finished the day with 137 total yards. Murray could end up missing some time, so Jones gets an unexpected surge in value the rest of the way. He has a promising schedule starting with a lousy Tampa run defense and is still available in nearly 40% of leagues. He may be just the added weapon you need to finish your playoff run.

Jabar Gaffney WAS WR
He came through as a sleeper pick this week with 90+ yards and a TD. The schedule is promising the rest of the way, especially over the next couple of weeks against the Giants and Vikings who both fall in the bottom 5 of pass defenses.

Demaryius Thomas DEN WR
It looks like Tim Tebow has a new favorite weapon. Thomas has blown up over the last couple of weeks. Starting in week 13 he went off for 144 yards and 2 TDs against Minnesota. Then week 14, he added another score and more than 75 yards. This production has been nice, but it also looks promising heading into this week when Tebow and the Broncos face off against the Patriots, whose pass defense happens to be even worse than the aforementioned Vikings.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/307/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-15http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/S-9rQaoh-rA/weekly-freaks-2011-week-14http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/306Hopefully you started these guys in week 14. They did everything they could to keep you moving through the playoff season.Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:17:45 -0600
Hopefully you started these guys in week 14. They did everything they could to keep you moving through the playoff season.

Matt Ryan ATL QB
Matt Ryan found his way to our Freak's list this week with his best game of the year against a beatable Carolina pass defense. He threw 4 touchdowns on the day hitting his rookie receiver Julio Jones twice, Roddy White once and Jacquizz Rodgers for the fourth score. Ryan hasn't been outstanding this year but has been very consistent with only one game scoring under 15 fantasy points. His remaining three games will include a top 10 pass defense in Jacksonville (week 15) followed by two bottom 10 pass defenses in New Orleans and Tampa Bay.

Mark Sanchez NYJ QB
Mark Sanchez's production has been up and down all year with scores of 20, 13, 23, 10, 23, 10 and 27 in the last seven games. His 27 fantasy points in week 14 against Kansas City marked his 2nd best game of the year. He did it with his arm and legs throwing for 2 touchdowns and running for another 2 scores. He'll get a favorable schedule to finish the year with 2 middle tier pass defenses and 1 bottom 10 pass defense.

Maurice Jones-Drew JAX RB
Maurice Jones-Drew had a monster game, all be it against one of the worst rush defenses in the league, but he scored 4 times on the day. He finished the game with 85 yards rushing, 2 rushing touchdowns, 51 yards receiving and added another 2 receiving touchdowns. MJD also set a franchise scoring record for career touchdowns with 71 in 90 career games, breaking the team record once held by forming running back Fred Taylor. Not many teams have been able to contain Jones-Drew this year with his ability to run the ball and catch passes out of the backfield. He'll face a top 5 rush defense in Atlanta next week who is only allowing 77 yards and .54 TDs per game to running backs.

Rob Gronkowski NE TE
Rob Gronkowski shows up on our 'Freaks of the Week' list for the 2nd straight week with another big game against the Washington Redskins. He caught 6 passes for an awesome 160 yards and 2 touchdowns. That gives him 15 touchdown catches on the year helping him set the NFL single-season mark for touchdown catches by a tight end. Gronkowski has scored 11 touchdowns in his last 6 games and has gone over the 20 fantasy point mark for the 6th time in 13 games. We'll see if he can keep things rolling against a very solid Denver defense at shutting down opposing tight ends.

]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/306/weekly-freaks-2011-week-14http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/Q0hObBb30V0/week-14-playoff-bound-picturehttp://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/304This is a big week because some big injuries and suspensions brought some players to the sidelines. Here are some fill ins from the waiver wire.Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:17:22 -0600
This is usually the part of the season where fantasy football starts their playoff schedules. If you made it, congratulations, you have a chance for money or bragging rights. Whatever you play for. This is a big week because some big injuries and suspensions brought some players to the sidelines. Here are some fill ins from the waiver wire.

Matt Moore has been a solid fantasy quarterback the last couple of weeks. He has built a solid rapport with his receivers and he has a running back that is actually having a nice year. He will continue his workman like performance this weekend against a shoddy Eagles secondary defense.

Christian Ponder has looked like a great fit into the Vikings system. He has been able to utilize the skills of Percy Harvin and has used his feet to get him extra first downs. He has a bright future, but his weekend looks even brighter with a banged up Lions defense and no Ndamukong Suh to pressure him. He has a hip pointer so double check to see if he starts or not.

Toby Gerhart is another Viking that is taking advantage of playing time. Adrian Peterson will not be back this weekend and with the Vikings being so bad he is probably done for the year. Gerhart has stepped in and will get plenty of touches against the Lions.

Marion Barber is going to get his chances this weekend. It all depends on him, Martz and his quarterback decide to get on the same page and start to run the ball and not turn it over so much.

Damian Williams going up against the Saints is just asking for double-digit fantasy football points. Nate Washington is suffering from some nagging injuries and Williams has been getting in the end zone. He will do the same again this weekend.

Golden Tate has made a resurgence last week from what has been a terrible career so far. The Seahawks brought back Mike Williams from the dead and they look like they are trying to do the same for Tate. Look for him to have a solid weekend against the Rams.

Dustin Keller is still on some waiver wires out there and he has been getting passes thrown his way quite often. He will get that chance again this weekend against a Chiefs defense that will be focusing on stopping the run.]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/304/week-14-playoff-bound-picturehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/zmhTo8G77Dw/to-worry-or-not-to-worry-week-14http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/303So you're in the playoffs (or fighting for one of the last spots) and one of your key players has been struggling. Should you trust them to keep you alive another week or should you just look in a different direction?Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:30:44 -0600
So you're in the playoffs (or fighting for one of the last spots) and one of your key players has been struggling. Should you trust them to keep you alive another week or should you just look in a different direction?

Calvin Johnson, Do Not Worry

Johnson had a rough outing last week against the Saints, with only 69 yards and no touchdowns. Then again, he was up against some big name defenders; but Fernando on espn.com it clearly says the Saints are in the bottom 3 of receiving defense! Yes, I know that, but they sure know how to cover No. 1 receivers well. Playing the field of receivers, the Saints are iffy—to say the least—but they can cover the main receiver pretty well. This week Johnson is playing a very weak Vikings receiving defense (27th in league), and they have few big name guys. Even though Johnson only has one touchdown in his last four weeks, I expect a comeback like performance this week.

Steve Smith, Worry

Smith has had his score drop three straight weeks, to a repulsive 32 yards and no touchdowns against the Buccaneers last week. The Bucs don’t have a good receiving defense by any means and no question Smith should’ve been able to do more. Next week he plays Atlanta and that's a concern. I’m not saying he will do worse then 32 yards, but he wont impress anybody either. On his remaining schedule, he still has the Buccaneers, Saints, and Texans…not looking to good. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best if you are heavily relying on Smith for you playoff games.

Rex Grossman, Do Not Worry

This was definitely a tough choice, given that he lost his favorite target (Fred Davis), but this guy is playing the worst pass defense in the league next week…the Patriots. To put it simply, the Patriots pass defense—or defense as a whole for that matter—sucks! He still has weapons in Jabar Gaffney, Santana Moss, and Roy Helu. Following that, he’s got the Giants, the Vikings, and the Eagles. As long as he doesn't implode, there is tons of opportunity the rest of the way!

Michael Turner, Do Not Worry

Under 50 yards last week and no touchdowns. Also, less then 10 points combined in the last two weeks, things haven’t been going Turner’s way recently. However, he did play the 4th ranked run defense on the road, so a bad day isn't too far fetched. This week plays the Panthers who have given up the 2nd most points to RB on the season and Turner crushed them once already back in week 6. Turner is ready to rebound run them over! So forget about the last couple of weeks and start Turner. He has a great matchup and ... he’s Michael Turner!]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/303/to-worry-or-not-to-worry-week-14http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/pu6prZWFoh0/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-14http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/302Start the right players this week and keep your playoff run alive with the help of this weeks Projections and Ratings.Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:24:09 -0600
Start the right players this week and keep your playoff run alive with the help of this weeks Projections and Ratings.

Aaron Rodgers GB QB
Do you even have to ask!

Cam Newton CAR QB
Just another monster fantasy outing for Newton along with breaking more records. Plays Atlanta who he only managed 20 points on back in week 6 and was intercepted 3 times. He should do better this go around.

Ray Rice BAL RB
Tied his highest output of the season against the Browns. Will come on strong once again at home vs the 30th ranked Colts run defense.

Tom Brady NE QB
Going against the grain, 4 of Brady's 5 highest scoring outings this year have come on the road. He'll be the visitor against the Redskins.

Matthew Stafford DET QB
The Vikings just allowed 2 passing TDs to Tim Tebow. I love Stafford this week.

Drew Brees NO QB
Over 4,000 yards and 30 TDs so far this year. Does the matchup really matter.

Tony Romo DAL QB
Will come out firing against the Giants who have allowed 30+ points to 2 straight QBs (Rodgers and Brees).

Michael Vick PHI QB
Has a chance to return for week 14 so keep an eye on his progress.

Eli Manning NYG QB
Manning is playing better as of late with 5 TDs and 2 INTs in the last 2 games. Average matchup against Dallas.

Marshawn Lynch SEA RB
Just when you thought he couldn't get any better, 148 rushing yards and 2 TDs. Gets one final easy opponent in the Rams before the schedule gets tougher.

Matt Ryan ATL QB
This week will be more of a running effort for the Falcons. Last time, Ryan finished with 163 passing yards, 1 passing TD, and he rushed for another TD.

Chris Johnson TEN RB
Fantasy owners are starting to see some long awaited value from Johnson this year. He'll get another good opportunity this week against New Orleans with RBs averaging 18 points against them.

Arian Foster HOU RB
He's a must start as always and Cincy is giving up 88 yards and a score to RBs per game.

Maurice Jones-Drew JAX RB
He's running well on everybody, including 99 rushing yards on the Texans top 5 run defense. I'd start him on any opponent the rest o f the way.

Calvin Johnson DET WR
Nice matchup this week against a division rival who is allowing 26.1 fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.

Rashard Mendenhall PIT RB
He proved he has the Bengals number with his second multi-TD effort against them this year. Now he's in line for another big week vs a Browns run defense that can't stop anybody this year.

Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF QB
His yardage numbers are up each of the last 2 weeks and he's rekindled the connection with Stevie Johnson. The momentum should carry over against the Chargers who have been beatable via the pass. They've allowed 15 points or more to every QB this year except week 1 (McNabb).

Carson Palmer OAK QB
His play has been average but gets a good matchup with Green Bay allowing opposing QBs to rack up 300+ yards and 1.83 scores per game.

Rex Grossman WAS QB
As painful as last week was, he'll be given every opportunity for redemtion against the Patriots. The perfect bounce back opponent for any QB.

Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB
Not the best play. He's not playing well and gets the #1 ranked pass defense in Cleveland.

]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/302/the-freaks-projections-and-ratings-2011-week-14http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/zWjlr1IdHAg/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-14http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/301Continue your playoff push by taking a look at this weeks sleeper options. This group can give you a boost if you have a hole in your lineup.Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:49:46 -0600
Rex Grossman WAS QB
Last week wasn't kind to Rex Grossman, he was only able to muster 221 passing yards and 0 scores against the Jets. To make matters worse he threw 1 pick and fumbled once. It wasn't long after that, we found out he was going to lose his favorite target, Fred Davis, for the duration of the season after he failed another drug test. Despite all that, he's in prime position to have a big week thanks to his matchup against the Patriots, the worst pass defense in the league. They recently gave up 22 fantasy points to Dan Orlovsky and the week before that, they let Vince Young throw for 400 yards. Grossman still has weapons with Gaffney and Moss and Roy Helu will continue to pitch in plenty of receiving yards as well.

Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF QB
The Bills QB has shown progress over his recent outings. He's increased his passing yardage each of the last 3 weeks and he's rekindled the connection with Stevie Johnson - a very important piece to his success. He's been building momentum and should ride that into San Diego. The Chargers have been friendly to opposing passers, allowing 15 points or more to every QB this season except for Donovan McNabb back in the season opener.

Brandon Saine GB RB
If you’re looking for a deep sleeper, I like the Packers Brandon Saine (if James Starks can't go). He looked better than Grant against the Giants (and had a slightly better average per carry). What I really like about him is that the Packers need to get their running game going for the playoffs. Now is the perfect time to audition this guy. The Packers have a great running matchup week 14 versus Oakland and if catching 4 passes for 29 yards against New York wasn’t a total fluke, he’s a good fit for the Packers style of play.

Michael Bush OAK RB
Bush has looked unstoppable since taking over for the injured Darren McFadden - well at least until he ran into the Miami Dolphins. They're defense has been great against the run and they held Bush in check, giving up a paltry 18 yards on 10 carries. I'm sure he isn't the least bit happy about that performance and he'll get his chance to take out his frustrations on the Green Bay Packers. There's a few key reasons Bush is poised to bounce back strong this week. First, Darren McFadden still sounds like a stretch to return. Next, the Pack have given up big points to power runners similar to Bush (recent success: Brandon Jacobs 11, LeGarrette Blount 16, Mike Tolbert 19). Finally, Bush is also adept at catching passes out of the backfield, making him even tougher to contain for a soft defense.

Jabar Gaffney WAS WR
While we're expecting Grossman to rack up passing yards on the Patriots, someone is going to have to be on the other end of those passes. That someone is most likely to be Gaffney. Over the last 3 weeks, he ranks second in targets behind TE Fred Davis who will be sitting out the rest of the season (failed drug test). Revis shut him down last week, but the Patriots don't have anyone even close to that caliber to cover him, and he'll be motivated to prove he's better than that.

Nate Burleson DET WR
Burleson's numbers have been up the last 4 weeks, because many opponents have been dedicating as many resources as they can to cover Calvin Johnson. Even Titus Young has been attracting some extra attention lately. All that does is free up room for Burleson to work and it has been paying off. He's had a minimum of 50 yards over the last 4 outings and hit a peak of 93 against the Saints. Factor in a strong matchup against the Vikings (29th against WR) and he'll get his yardage again as well as extra looks in the end zone.

Dustin Keller NYJ TE
Mark Sanchez has been struggling in recent weeks and when a QB is struggling he starts to look for security and many times it comes in the form of a TE. Over the last 3 games, he has targeted Keller 22 times. The results have been mixed with a couple of duds and one 61 yd, 2 TD effort against Buffalo. This week the Jets will be on their home turf, where Keller has had his 3 best games of the year, and he figures to be a big part of the offense. The Chiefs have been playing solid defense, but they lag behind in TE coverage. They rank 30th against the position, averaging 51 yards and .67 TDs per week.

]]>http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/article/301/the-freaks-sleepers-2011-week-14http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fantasy-football-freaks/~3/Us4zMjmy4bQ/the-freaks-waiver-wire-2011-week-14http://www.fantasyfootballfreaks.com/update/300If your team is still alive and your league allows it then you may need a little extra help to push further in the playoffs. Time to check out the waiver wire.Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:21:07 -0600
If your team is still alive and your league allows it then you may need a little extra help to push further in the playoffs. Time to check out the waiver wire.

Carson Palmer OAK QB
Available in nearly 40% of leagues, some owners haven't been willing to pull the trigger on him, and he just about vindicated them this week with a rough outing which he managed to salvage in garbage time with a pair of passing scores. This is a good time to take the leap if you need a stand in for your playoff run. Palmer gets to face the Green Bay Packers who, going into week 13, were allowing over 300 yards per week to opposing QBs and 1.7 TDs.

Marion Barber CHI RB
Barber's been a TD vulture this season, picking up 5 in only 9 games on the year. Now, lead back Matt Forte is injured (possibly MCL sprain) and Barber is going to have to pick up the slack. That means more touches and more fantasy points. He can't fill the entire void that Forte may have left in your lineup, but he may have to do.

Roy Helu WAS RB
If you are in one of the 30% of leagues out there that still have Helu available, this is your final wake up call. After finally being declared the starter for the Redskins, he wasted no time racking up 142 total yards and a score on the Jets. He'll continue to roll and put up points on his opponents the rest of the way.

Ryan Grant GB RB
James Starks left week 13 with an apparent ankle injury, leaving Grant to take over. If Starks has any problems going the next couple of weeks, then Grant will offer some upside with the Packers facing Oakland and Kansas City, two teams that have struggled against RB. Granted (no pun intended), the Packers will continue to be the same pass first offense, but now is the time to stretch out the running game knowing they might need it more in the postseason.

Johnny Knox CHI WR
Following the loss of Jay Cutler, Earl Bennett has lost his mojo. Caleb Hanie heavily favors Knox. Over the last 3 games, he has 295 yards and 2 TDs. Even against Kansas City, where Hanie struggled, mightily, Knox led all receivers with 53 yards. The remainder of his schedule features some bottom tier pass defenses. If you've been holding onto Bennett, you'll want to make a swap here.

Jermaine Gresham CIN TE
If you were a Fred Davis owner then you're probably looking for a replacement now that he has been suspended for the rest of the season (failed third drug test - marijuana?). Gresham could be the right fit. From a points per game perspective he's been the 10th highest scoring TE in the league. Andy Dalton also favors him. He's targeted Gresham more than any other player over the last 3 weeks. He has also shown scoring ability with 5 TDs in 10 games.

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