Week 15 Upgrades/Downgrades

Upgrades

QB Drew Brees, NO - Brees faces the Redskins and Giants in his next two outings. The matchup with Washington isn’t outstanding, but Brees should have no trouble scoring well against them. We absolutely love Brees going up against the Giants in week 16 (when most leagues have their championship game). If Chris Weinke can throw for 423 yards, then Brees should have a field day.

QB Jay Cutler, DEN - Cutler hasn’t set the world on fire, but he is putting up at least decent statistics and should improve with each outing. While his week 16 matchup isn’t so hot anymore (the Bengals’ defense has picked up over the last few weeks), Cutler has soft opponents in weeks 15 and 17 as Arizona and San Francisco have shown the ability allow big numbers at times this season. If Cutler is going to succeed, it will be against these two teams.

QB Jeff Garcia, PHI - Things are going really well for Jeff Garcia, and he has a real chance to lead the Eagles to a surprising playoff berth (surprising only because losing Donovan McNabb was generally considered to be a death blow to this team). Plus he has a very real chance to lead some fantasy teams to championships as he faces a couple of defenses (Giants and Cowboys) that have allowed some big game to opposing QBs this season.

QB Matt Leinart, ARI - Only Drew Brees and Peyton Manning have more passing yards over the last three weeks. With all of his receivers healthy and an improved running game, Matt is a solid start every week.

QB Eli Manning, NYG - There are a couple of reasons to like Eli Manning going down the stretch: 1) His improved play over the last couple of weeks, and 2) His fairly weak schedule over the remainder of the season. Either notion would give Manning the upgrade, but combining them makes him a very nice option for your fantasy playoffs.

QB Tim Rattay, TB - There has been chatter over the last couple of weeks that Rattay would actually get a start in place of the struggling Bruce Gradkowski. A change in the starting lineup did not occur in week 14, but Rattay did get in the game in the fourth quarter against the Falcons. The team is sticking with Gradkowski for at least another week, but we’re going out on a limb and saying the rookie will look bad again in Chicago. We think Rattay will make another appearance and could get the nod in week 16 against the Rams.

QB Vince Young, TEN - He came up big again this week scoring in overtime on a huge run when the primary receivers weren’t open. Over the last three weeks, Vince leads all QBs in fantasy points per start. During these three games, his completion percentage is 65% and he has 233 yards rushing (and 2 rushing TDs).

RB Tatum Bell, DEN - The Broncos got behind early in the San Diego game and essentially abandoned the run game. But Bell looked sharp when they did run. He ended up with 116 yards on just 17 carries.

RB Ladell Betts, WAS - Portis who? He ran for 171 yards on 33 carries yesterday and has looked sharp for weeks now. Play him with confidence.

RB Reggie Bush, NO - With the receivers all dinged up and Brees as sharp as ever, Bush is finding his role catch passes in the flat. He had another excellent week catching 6 passes for 125 yards and a TD. He is coming up the biggest when people need him the most.

RB Aveion Cason, DET - Cason isn’t a world-beater, but it looks like he’ll be a starting RB for the next few weeks. By most accounts, Kevin Jones will miss the remainder of the season with a lisfranc injury. Arlen Harris has shown to be incapable of being a primary RB, so Cason is expected to get the nod this time.

RB Ron Dayne, HOU - Don’t look now, but Ron Dayne has put together a couple of nice games for the Texans. He has a very tough matchup this week against the Patriots, but fantasy gold looms in week 16. If Dayne can keep the job for another week, he could be huge against a Colts defense that hasn’t been able to stop anyone on the ground.

RB Justin Fargas, OAK - For fantasy teams struggling to find help at the RB position in their quest for toilet bowl titles, Fargas looks like a nice play. While we’re hesitant to recommend a Raider, Fargas has a nice matchup this weekend against the soft Rams defense.

RB Rudi Johnson, CIN - Is the single-game rushing record in peril this weekend? It seems ridiculous to expect a record to fall, but then again it seems ridiculous to expect the Colts to actually stop an opposing RB. Like almost everyone other runner, Johnson should be huge against Indianapolis.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX - For someone who is not a starter, he sure has been on fire lately. Over the last three weeks Jones-Drew has 352 combined yards and 4 TDs. He exploded for 166 rushing yards and 2 TDs on just 15 carries yesterday.

RB Sammy Morris, MIA - Ronnie Brown has been all but ruled out again this weekend, so Morris will have the job for at least one more week. He was very good against the Patriots and has easy opponents for the remainder of the season as well.

RB Artose Pinner, MIN - We (along with the rest of the free world) completely missed Pinner being so involved against the Lions, but he turned in a fantastic game in place of Chester Taylor. By all accounts, Taylor is expected to play this week against the Jets, so don’t go crazy trying to get Pinner on your roster. However, Pinner certainly has the attention of the coaching staff and should be the first guy off the bench if Taylor can’t go.

RB Chester Taylor, MIN - Taylor will likely spend all week listed as questionable, but we expect him to return to the starting lineup this weekend against the Jets. New York will be the first of three nice matchups (Green Bay and St. Louis are the other two) for Taylor.

WR Marty Booker, MIA - Booker has become the #1 receiving option in Miami. He had another outstanding game catching 8 passes for 103 yards and a score.

WR Reggie Brown, PHI - Jeff Garcia has stepped in nicely for Donovan McNabb, and that has allowed Brown to remain a viable fantasy WR. Ending the regular season with the Giants, Cowboys, and Falcons makes him a very nice fantasy WR.

WR Nate Burleson, SEA - Burleson should find the starting lineup in week 15 as Darrell Jackson will likely sit with an injured toe.

WR Marques Colston, NO - Colston finally got back on the field against the Cowboys but cramped up and wasn’t able to finish. We think he’ll be good to go for the rest of the season and should be huge in his next two games as he faces the weak pass defenses of the Redskins and Giants.

WR Terry Glenn, DAL - As TO continues to call out the coaches, say stupid things and drop passes, Glenn keeps producing on the field. Glenn caught 8 passes for 150 yards on Sunday night.

WR Devery Henderson, NO - We like Henderson in the next couple of weeks based in large part on the belief that Joe Horn’s groin will keep him on the sidelines. If Henderson gets the starting nod, he should excel against the Redskins and Giants. Even if Henderson is stuck in the WR3 spot, Drew Brees has the ability to get him involved.

WR Santana Moss, WAS - Moss has the ability to excel against any defense, but he gets the upgrade due to a very easy end-of-season schedule. The Saints, Rams, and Giants have given up big games this season, so we expect Moss to have some outstanding numbers down the stretch.

WR Marcus Robinson, MIN - Robinson is still the only viable WR in Minnesota, and he faces three fairly soft opponents over the remainder of the season. He should see an increase in numbers while facing the Jets, Packers, and Rams.

WR Donte Stallworth, PHI - We were down on Stallworth after the loss of Donovan McNabb, but he hasn’t fallen off the fantasy landscape. While Jeff Garcia doesn’t have the deep arm to take full advantage of Stallworth’s speed, they are still clicking well and have connected on a TD pass in each of the last two games. With weak defenses like the Giants, Cowboys, and Falcons on tap, there is not reason to believe Stallworth won’t excel down the stretch.

WR Hines Ward, PIT - Ward has missed two games after some cleanup surgery in his knee but says he has no doubt that he’ll be able to play in week 15. Ward added that he probably could have played in week 14 if the game had been played on Sunday (rather than Thursday night on the NFL Network).

TE Alge Crumpler, ATL - If your fantasy playoffs end in week 16, then Crumpler is your man. He has a good matchup this weekend against a Dallas defense that has definitely shown the ability to lose track of receivers. However, his nice game should be in week 16 against a Carolina defense that is the softest in the league in defending the TE.

TE Vernon Davis, SF - The rookie showed up with a long play and finished the day with 3 catches for 74 yards and a TD.

TE Tony Scheffler, DEN - He has chemistry with Jay Cutler that translates into solid production on Sunday. He finished the day with 3 catches for 66 yards and 2 TDs. One of his TDs absolutely saved Cutler from throwing a pick as he tapped the ball back to himself.

TE L.J. Smith, PHI - While he doesn’t face a single easy matchup in the next three weeks, Smith’s final trio of opponents have been slightly softer than average against TEs this season. Smith should have a fairly easy time accumulating solid statistics.

TE Jerramy Stevens, SEA - Stevens has pretty much been a waste this season, but there is a chance he could bounce back in the next couple of weeks. His opponents in weeks 15 and 16 (San Francisco and San Diego) have been very porous against TEs. He isn’t getting a ton of looks, but if Stevens can be somewhat involved in the offense, there is the potential for nice numbers.

PK Neil Rackers, ARI - The Cardinals offense has perked up a little lately, and Rackers has a nice schedule over the next two weeks as Denver and San Francisco have allowed opposing kickers to score well this season. He may not bring back memories of his 2005 season, but Rackers should be a nice play in your playoffs.

PK Dave Rayner, GB - Rayner has had some real stinkers this season, but he should post nice numbers over the next two weeks as Detroit and Minnesota have often allowed plenty of scoring this season.

TD Chicago Bears, CHI - The Bears defense should score heavily over the next couple of weeks. It’s almost unfair, but they face a couple of offenses (Tampa Bay and Detroit) that are struggling mightily down the stretch.

TD Green Bay Packers, GB - This is a bit of a risk as the Packers have had some really awful games this year, but Green Bay’s defense potentially has a couple of nice matchups in the next two weeks. Detroit and Minnesota have run hot and cold this year but are each capable of making a defense look good.

TD Baltimore Ravens, BAL - The Ravens could single-handedly send your fantasy team to the next round of playoffs this weekend as they should have their way with the weak Cleveland offense. Then in week 16, they face a Pittsburgh offense that they absolutely destroyed in week 12 (nine sacks, three turnovers, zero points allowed, and a fumble returned for a TD).

Downgrades

QB Jake Delhomme, CAR - Of course we’re worried about his injured thumb, but we’d downgrade a healthy Delhomme as well due to his next two opponents. Pittsburgh and Atlanta have generally been stingy to opposing QBs this season, and we see no reason to believe Delhomme will break out of his funk against them.

QB David Garrard, JAX - Garrard is leading this team well, but he faces a really tough end-of-season schedule with Tennessee, New England, and Kansas City on tap.

QB Bruce Gradkowski, TB - There has been some talk over the last couple of weeks that Gradkowski was on a short leash and could soon be benched in favor of Tim Rattay. Well Rattay did come in for the fourth quarter against the Falcons. The Buccaneers have announced that Gradkowski will continue as starter this weekend, but it’s clear that he is on a short leash. Seeing as the opponent is the Chicago Bears, we expect that leash to get tugged again this weekend.

QB Trent Green, KC - Green failed to pass the 200-yard mark against the Ravens and could easily struggle in each of his last three games. San Diego is up this weekend and has been very good since the return of Shawne Merriman. Oakland and Jacksonville close the season, and each has punished opposing QBs almost all season long.

QB Brad Johnson, MIN - The Vikings won so he likely remains the starter, but he did not do anything for us to remain excited about his prospects going forward. He finished with just 159 yards and no passing TDs (with one interception). His rushing TD saved his fantasy day, but he still looks like a horrible option for your fantasy roster.

QB Jon Kitna, DET - You know Kitna is struggling when the head coach has to tell reporters that he’s still the team’s starting QB. And then has to tell them again a week later. While he should have a good game this weekend against the Packers, Kitna will have no business seeing your starting lineup in week 16 when Chicago comes to town. That game could get ugly.

QB J.P. Losman, BUF - Losman’s play has generally been acceptable this season, but he faces a tough stretch to end the season. Miami, Tennessee, and Baltimore are all better than average against opposing QBs.

RB Warrick Dunn, ATL - He injured his calf in the game and looks like he will miss this week’s game. Even when he has played he has been underwhelming.

RB DeShaun Foster, CAR - He is back in the lineup, but the Panthers never got the running game going. Foster ended up with just 23 yards on 8 carries. With DeAngelo Williams also stealing carries, we are not excited about Foster doing anything for the fantasy playoffs.

RB Travis Henry, TEN - There are two reasons to hate Henry’s end-of-season schedule and one reason to love it. Let’s start with the hate – Jacksonville in week 15 and New England in week 17 are tough to run on and should dampen Henry’s numbers. However, for leagues with a week 16 championship game, Henry has a nice matchup with Buffalo and should provide some nice numbers.

RB Cedric Houston, NYJ - Houston has turned in some good games this season, but he will likely hurt you down the stretch this season. In the next two weeks, the Jets face a couple of very tough run defenses in the Vikings and Dolphins.

RB Kevin Jones, DET - Jones will possibly miss the remainder of the season after injuring his foot while trying to punch in a one-yard TD against the Vikings. Jones was stopped and injured on the play. There is no definitive word on the severity of the injury, but sources indicate it is symptomatic of a lisfranc fracture.

RB Wali Lundy, HOU - After two weeks of getting outplayed soundly by Ron Dayne, we are sticking a fork in Wali Lundy for the rest of this year. It’s too bad because Houston plays the Colts in week 16 (who can’t stop anyone on the ground).

RB Jerious Norwood, ATL - He injured his knee and could miss week 15. It’s too bad because he could have been a decent start with Dunn also likely out.

RB Willie Parker, PIT - Parker has become one of those great players that you just don’t want to bench, but there is a distinct possibility that he’ll stink up the joint over the next couple of weeks. This weekend, he faces a pretty good Carolina defense, but we really hate his week 16 matchup with the Ravens.

RB Cadillac Williams, TB - Just about every NFL team has been able to run against the Falcons this season. Cadillac only produced 48 yards on 20 carries. Ouch. Maybe that back is hurting a lot more than he is letting on.

WR Chris Chambers, MIA - He is simply not in the flow of the game. He caught 3 short passes for only 11 yards. Teammate Marty Booker has taken over as the #1 receiver as of late.

WR Joe Horn, NO - We’re pretty worried about Horn’s groin injury. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him miss another week or two to get healthy for the playoffs.

WR Darrell Jackson, SEA - Jackson suffered a toe injury on Sunday and will likely sit this weekend.

WR Greg Jennings, GB - He entered the game at less than 100% and further tweaked his ankle in the contest. Look for Donald Driver to continue to be the big target going forward.

WR Andre Johnson, HOU - Johnson has been very good this season, but he faces a tough stretch of games to end the year. New England and Cleveland have been pretty good against opposing WRs while the Colts (Houston’s week 16 opponent) have been very stingy. Of course their stinginess is due in large part to their inability to stop the run, but the fact is that WRs haven’t scored many fantasy points against the Colts this season.

WR Matt Jones, JAX - With a successful running attack and a great defense, this team has no reason to throw the ball. Matt Jones is the best of the Jaguars receivers, but will likely not yield great fantasy production the rest of the season.

WR Brandon Stokley, IND - Just when it appeared that Stokley was getting healthy and ready to contribute down the stretch, he suffered an Achilles injury against the Jaguars. It looks like he’ll miss a few more weeks with the injury.

WR Roy Williams, DET - This is really a one-week downgrade, but we want to make special note of Detroit’s opponent in week 16. While most of you are gunning for a fantasy championship, Williams will be facing the Chicago Bears. We don’t have a lot of confidence in Kitna’s ability to excel against that defense.

TE Ben Watson, NE - We aren’t excited that he was knocked out of last week’s game with a leg injury, but that’s not why Watson is getting a downgrade. He’s listed here because of his tough schedule over the remainder of the season. Believe it or not, but Houston has been very good against opposing TEs this season while Jacksonville and Tennessee are each tougher than average. Watson will find points hard to come by down the stretch.

PK Rob Bironas, TEN - The Titans have been far better than anyone expected this season, and Bironas has had some huge kicks along the way. However, his last three opponents (Jacksonville, Buffalo, and New England) are allowing around 5.5 points per game this season. There are far better options out there.

PK Jay Feely, NYG - Feely has a broken bone in his foot. While he maintains that it will not affect his kicking, it will surely be on his mind. We like our kickers to be completely focused on kicking.

PK Adam Vinatieri, IND - When the Colts were crushing teams, he was getting a lot of opportunities. But now that the Colts are playing from behind, he has been a non-factor. He has made just 3 field goals over the last 3 weeks.

TD Kansas City Chiefs, KC - They could be a fantastic start in week 16 against the woeful Raiders offense, Kansas City’s defense will be hard pressed to find many points this weekend against a San Diego offense that is easily the best in the league.

TD Indianapolis Colts, IND - While the Colts will be a nice option in week 16 against the Texans, they will likely get shredded again here in week 15 against the Bengals. In leagues that deduct for yards and points allowed, Indianapolis is a terrible start this weekend.

TD New York Giants, NYG - The Giants have some tough opponents to finish the season. Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Washington have allowed very few points to opposing defenses this season, so the Giants will likely offer only little fantasy value for the remainder of the year.