Fool's Gold - Week 15
Posted 12/12 by Marc Faletti, Exclusive to Footballguys.com
As we enter the final few playoff games of most leagues, plenty of waiver wires have closed and trading deadlines expired. Fool's Gold readers are probably less concerned with accidentally adding flashes in the pan and more concerned with making sure they find the right starters for the next two weeks. To that end, we'll be focusing primarily on the performances of players who are likely on a roster… and possibly yours.
Behold the Gold
Justin Fargas, RB, OAK
Fool's Gold: 15 rushes for 57 yards
While far below his recent output, those totals may look downright juicy after he gets through the next 2 games against Indy and Jacksonville. If he helped you get this far, pat Fargas on the back and look elsewhere -- especially in that game against the Jags.
Jabar Gaffney, WR, NE
Fool's Gold: 7 catches for 122 yards, 1 TD
Gaffney has been on the field a lot more lately, and he's proven reliable. This big game came after he scored the winning (though contested) TD against the Ravens. But Gaffney's still 3rd or 4th in the Pats pecking order behind Welker, Moss, and possibly Watson. If had to start him or someone like Bobby Engram/Chris Chambers/Jerricho Cotchery, I'd lean towards those guys. They are at or near the top of their teams' target list, and those opportunities usually suggest more consistency.
Kevin Jones, RB, DET
Fool's Gold: 23 rushes for 92 yards, 2 TD
Jones earned those yards, though he Cowboys looked like a team that forgot how to defend the run on Sunday as even T.J. Duckett (T.J. Duckett!) scored a breakaway TD on them. But the real Fool's Gold here is the amount of attention paid to the run. We've seen this before with Detroit… right before they put up some of the worst rushing performances in history. Martz struggles to stick with the run; it's not secret. Rumors are swirling that he may not be back next year, and maybe this gameplan was his attempt to mend fences, but I don't think it's wise to expect KJ to get 20 carries. When he does, he'll do well with them, but don't bank your fantasy playoff chances on Martz sticking with the run.
Thomas Jones, RB, NYJ
Fool's Gold: 24 rushes for 106 yards
The only player who scores this few TDs and deserves a starting fantasy RB spot is Willie Parker. The Jets have it rough with the Pats and Titans on the road the next 2 weeks, and Jones may find it nearly impossible to score double-figure fantasy points.
Fred Taylor, RB, JAX
Fool's Gold: 18 rushes for 132 yards, 1 TD
Like Kevin Jones, Taylor's performance was no accident. But Taylor still sees almost no goal line action for the Jags, and it's a complete toss-up as to whether he or MJD will garner the most carries for Jacksonville. Taylor makes an okay flex play, but he's not getting the consistent touches you need from one of your top 2 running backs. He could easily drop a 5 point stinkbomb, and you'd hate for that to sink your season.
Reggie Williams, WR, JAX
Fool's Gold: 5 catches for 90 yards, 1 TD
The Pats may have made it look easy to pass on the Steelers, but it isn't. Teams like Seattle were completely shut out earlier this year. Between that game next week and the Oakland matchup that screams "pass more than 15 times and you're wasting your time," opportunities figure to be slim for Williams. I still think they look at Northcutt as their #1, but nobody gets consistent targets for the Jaguars. He may have scored 4 TDs in his last 6 games, but those look an awful lot like Fool's Gold to me.
