Arizona
Andre Ellington is looking more and more like a reliable RB1. After 8 weeks, he's ranked 6th in PPR leagues and his value just increased more with the injury to Stepfan Taylor. Expect Ellington to be the team's feature back going forward. Michael Floyd has fallen out of favor with me. The Cardinals WRs have struggled to put up big numbers this year with Carson Palmer out for an extended time, but now that he's back it's still difficult to find consistency. Pump the brakes on Floyd, he's a WR57 after 8 weeks. Right there with Riley Cooper and Miles Austin. Not exactly barnburners in terms of fantasy production.
Atlanta - Bye Next three games at TB, at CAR, CLE
Baltimore
The Ravens play at Pittsburgh on Sunday Night this week in what I see as a back and forth battle that should give us some excellent match ups, especially at wide receiver. Steve Smith and Torrey Smith will benefit against the Steelers secondary. It's possible that Pittsburgh will get out to a lead early and Baltimore will be forced to play from behind. If so, that helps Joe Flacco and his wide receiver duo. Lorenzo Taliaferro had a good game last week with two scores. It will be difficult for Justin Forsett to keep up his torrid pace from the first half of the season, but I like the Ravens playoff schedule at MIA, JAC, at HOU. He may not be utilized as much, but he still has value and should put up decent numbers.
Buffalo - Bye Next three games KC, at MIA, NYJ
Carolina
The Panthers defense showed up last week, but the offense failed to make enough plays to pull out the win against Seattle. This week the Saints visit on Thursday Night in what could be a relatively high scoring game. One important note about Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin - they have an excellent schedule in the playoffs, at NO, TB, CLE and could be peaking at the right time. DeAngelo Williams returns from a high ankle sprain this week and will likely be relied upon heavily in this game. I don't love his fantasy value here but historcally he has had good success against the Saints.
Cincinnati
The Bengals win the sweepstakes for who plays Jacksonville this week. Giovani Bernard has been a bit of disappointment, but he's still a RB9 in PPR rankings. He is getting banged up what seems like every week. Ailments include a shoulder, collarbone and hip. At some point we may start to see more of Jeremy Hill to give Bernard a rest here and there. Hill is a potential flex option this week with the possibility of increased touchdes, especially in the second half when the Bengals may be up big on Jacksonville. A.J. Green (toe) may be getting closer to returning to action, Monitor his practice schedule this week to see if he might be a go. I'm still a little leery about him for the rest of the season. We'll see how good he is when playing with pain. Some players have a higher tollerance than others. If that's the case, he may not skip a beat, but I'm a little less optimistic.
Cleveland
A few points to note - Jordan Cameron (concussion) will have to be cleared to play this week vs. TB and right now, it doesn't look good for him. Andrew Hawkins filled the void when Cameron went out last week. I can see him having another decent game against the 32nd ranked Buccaneers who are last for both passing and rushing defense. Ben Tate is the current lead back for now, but we could also see more Isaiah Crowell in this game. The running game has taken a nose dive in the last two weeks against JAC and OAK. The match up vs. Tampa Bay looks good, but so did the last two weeks.
Chicago - Bye Next three games at GB, MIN, TB
Dallas
DeMarco Murray continues to perform at an unbelieveably high level thanks to a strong offensive line. If you have Murray, it's in your best interest to also have Joseph Randle on your roster, just in case Murray hits the wall around Week 13 for the stretch run or if he gets injured. As good as Dez Bryant is, I don't like how the Cowboys coaching staff is utilizing him. He could be so much better than he is. He has five touchdowns, but only two 100+ yard games. He should be a Top 3 WR but he's hanging in there at WR9 through even without a bye week yet.
Denver
The Broncos fantasy parade stops at Foxboro this week in the Manning vs. Brady Bowl. I love this game for fantasy match ups. Both teams are clicking right now with several fantasy options knocking on the door of success. There are whispers circulating that Peyton Manning may give Wes Welker a few scoring opportunities in this game in his return to New England. Yes, I do think Manning is at that point in his career where he dictates who gets the ball and when. If Welker goes off against his former team, just know that Manning had a big say in it.
Detroit - Bye Next three games MIA, at ARI, at NE
Green Bay - Bye Next three games CHI, PHI, at MIN
Houston
Arian Foster is cementing his legacy as one of the better running backs in his era. This year has been nothing short of amazing and if it weren't for DeMarco Murray's career year and Matt Forte's Marshall Faulk-like talent, we'd all be salivating over Foster's season. In some cases, we already are. He was nearly forgotten after an offseason that included back surgery and a preseason hamstring injury. The fantasy world was targeting Alfred Blue and Jonathan Grimes in hopes that one of them would be the heir apparent to a broken down Foster. The veteran back repsonded with a solid first half of the season that includes a 5.2 YPC average and 9 total touchdowns, to lead all running backs. The Eagles come to Houston this week in what I see as a troublesome game for Philly. Foster should be front and center in this game with plenty of scoring chances. Games like this have the potential for big plays and back and forth scoring, which is what I want to see in my fantasy match ups. Not only is Foster a good start, but so is Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins.
Indianapolis
The Colts play at the Giants this week in a game that should be filled with fantasy production. I love this game for Andrew Luck, especially if the Colts defense plays similar to how they played last week at Pittsburgh. Donte Moncrief had a breakout game last week in place of injured Reggie Wayne. I expect Wayne (elbow) to return soon, but for Moncrief to continue to see good opportunities as Wayne's eventual replacement down the road. Moncrief's emergence is Hakeem Nicks' loss. As long as the Colts are moving the ball as well as they do, there should be fantasy points to go around for several key players, Moncrief included. Dwayne Allen is quietly having a strong year with six touchdowns in eight games. It's a good bet that he scores again this week. Ten of Luck's 22 touchdown passes have gone to tight ends (6 to Allen).
Jacksonville
Allen Robinson has scored a touchdown in two consecutive games. He is emerging as the go-to receiving threat for Blake Bortles, but the Jaguars continue to make mistakes that kills any momentum they earn. I don't condone many Jaguars as fantasy starts, but Robinson is at least worthy of a flex option start. Denard Robinson has two consecutive weeks of 100+ yards rushing. I don't love the match up this week at Cincinnati, but that's hard to ignore. Keep an eye on this kid to see if the strong play continues.
Kansas City
The Chiefs are all about Jamaal Charles, but Dwayne Bowe has 5+ catches in three of the last four games. He has yet to score this year, but that could change this week against the Jets hapless secondary. I like this game for both Bowe and Travis Kelce. The lights have dimmed a little on Kelce lately, but he is still very much a strong talent that is just getting started in this league. His time will come and when it does, he'll be a reliable fantasy starter on a consistent basis. Start the Chiefs Def/ST this week against Michael Vick. I tend to believe Vick is coasting along in New York happy, holding a clipboard and collecting that game check every week. We'll see how prepared he'll be this week on the road in a harsh environment. My money is on the Chiefs to make things difficult for the Jets offense, including Vick.
Miami
Mike Wallace has not had two consecutive games without a touchdown this year. He is due to score this week vs. San Diego if the trend continues. Lamar Miller is a good bet for 70+ combined yards this week - he has done it five times in seven games this year. He's a legit RB2 who is capable of RB1 numbers any given week. Last week's game narrative did not produce many offensive plays for Miami thanks to their defensive effort that generated three turnovers and two defensive scores. This week's game against San Diego should be a tighter game with more chances on offense for Miami.
Minnesota
All eyes on Jerick McKinnon. He is starting to get more carries, but it's still a RBBC approach with Matt Asiata. One more strong game from McKinnon should sway the carries in his favor. Cordarrelle Patterson may be someone who takes a big step forward in the second half of the season. He is starting to get more comfortable in this offense with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback. Eventually the talent will rise to the top and Patterson will be a highly sought after receiver. Whether that happens this year or next is still debatable, but I don't see him being a bust.
New England
Tom Brady and the Patriots offense has been clicking ever since the Cincinnati game and now Peyton Manning comes strolling into town in what looks like another showdown in their storied rivalry. Brandon LaFell is coming on strong for New England. In the last four games he is the 11th ranked WR in PPR scoring with 20 catches for nearly 300 yards and 3 scores. He is a good bet to keep the pace this week in what should be a high scoring game. Jonas Gray saw the majority of the team's carries last week and could wind up being the go-to running back for the Patriots in the second half of the season. He is built like Stevan Ridley and his size will allow him to see more of the rushing load if his level of play dictates it. He is one of the better wiver wire claims of the week and should be targeted if you have the room to add him to your roster.
New Orleans
Mark Ingram arguably played the best football I've ever seen him play last week vs. Green Bay. He has a decent match up this week at Carolina on Thursday night. The Panthers have been soft against the run this year, but they found a way to stymie Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks run game last week. Perhaps they turned the corner defensively, which would make this match up less enticing. Drew Brees and the Saints have found success against Carolina with quick short, passes over the middle and on the sidelines. Marques Colston has been a key player for New Orleans against Carolina in the past. I would not be surprised to see him bounce back with a big game here. Carolina likes to play soft coverage against deep threat receivers, but they occasionally break down and allow a big play. That big play could be orchestrated by Brandin Cooks. I can see him getting behind the defense for a long gain in the game. Jimmy Graham scored three times last year in two games against Carolina's strong 2013 defense, which leads me to believe he's more than capable of doing so against this year's unit.
NY Giants
The Giants return from their bye to host Andrew Luck and the Colts. This has the makings of being a back and forth battle that should feature a lot of passing from Eli Manning. Rashad Jennings (knee) is probably not going to be back for this game, which further cements my thinking that this game has the potential to reach 300 yards passing for Manning. If that's the case, Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham Jr and potentially Larry Donnell could have big games. Ben Roethlisberger was able to carve up the Colts defense last week, who were without their best cornerback, Vontae Davis (knee) It's unknown if Davis will miss this game, but even if he plays, the passing game should be front and center for New York. Giants GM Jerry Reese has publicly stated that he believes the team needs to be more focused on passing the ball more. "I just think, as an offense, we have to be more aggressive," Reese said. "At times, we're a little bit almost too cautions with what we're doing offensively. This is the National Football League. You've got to go out there and you've got to win the game. You can't expect something to fall into your lap. You've got to take the game. And I think we've got to be more aggressive offensively." The writing is on the wall. We'll see if the game plan is altered to cater to the General Manager's needs, wants and desires.
NY Jets
The Jets are counting on Michael Vick to get momentum back in their corner. It's going to be a tall order for Vick and company on the road at Arrowhead Stadium. Chris Ivory has been hot lately with three touchdowns in the last two games. If he can find success against the Chiefs defense and control the ball and clock, the Jets will have a fighting chance. I would be leery starting any Jets receivers not knowing how effective Michael Vick will be. I'd stay away from Eric Decker and Jace Amaro, but Percy Harvin is someone to consider as a flex option. The combination of Vick and Harvin is tantalizing. The question is - will they be able to execute plays designed to get both options in space? We'll find out.
Oakland
The Raiders are 0-7 and have to play at Seattle this week. Remember last year when the Buccaneers came to Seattle and nearly took out the eventual Super Bowl Champs? Oakland will have to go into this game with a huge chip on their shoulder. I expect to see a lot of passing in this game from Derek Carr, which favors James Jones and Andre Holmes. Holmes has four touchdowns in the last four games and has emerged into a fantasy WR3 start. Seattle has not allowed a touchdown to a wide receiver since Week 5, but I still like the match up especially if OAK trails big in this game.
Philadelphia
The Eagles have a tough game this week at Houston, but I like the match up in what could be a rather high scoring game. Jeremy Maclin is coming off a huge game last week against Arizona and Houston's secondary isn't much better. He and Nick Foles should connect for at least one touchdown in this game. LeSean McCoy was kept out of the end zone last week, but he still was able to move the ball well against a tough Cardinals run defense. Look for McCoy to see a lot of touches in the game that should have plenty of fantast production.
Pittsburgh
I really like the match up for both Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers receiving corps against the Ravens this week. Baltimore is without their best cornerback Jimmy Smith who is out with a foot injury. Even with Smith, the Ravens were the worst team in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers. Antonio Brown and newly emerged Martavis Bryant look like excellent starts this week. Bryant broke out with a two-touchdown effort last week which gives him three touchdowns in his first two games seeing significant snaps. As a result, Bryant is someone to target on the waiver wire this week. His height and size is exactly what Pittsburgh needs to compliment the speedy and elusive Antonio Brown. His presence is making Ben Roethlisberger's job much easier. Even Heath Miller is starting to see less coverage, which is helping his game as well. As one receiver emerges, another fades. Markus Wheaton is not in the dog house to say, but he's getting outplayed by Bryant at this time, which is decreasing his snaps.
San Diego
Philip Rivers has thrown three touchdown passes in four of the last five games and now his top receiver, Keenan Allen is starting to return to form after suffering from a lingering hamstring injury. Antonio Gates has six touchdowns in the last four games and has nine on the season so far. He is a clear end zone favorite for Rivers which should continue moving forward. Ryan Mathews (knee) may return to the lineup this week, so monitor his practice schedule. I would not be shocked to see Branden Oliver continue to have a lasting role even with Mathews back. I think we'll see a committee approach for Mathews as he gets back in sync with the offense. Oliver is still someone who could excel on any given play, especially as a receiver out of the backfield.
Seattle
The Seahawks return home to play the 0-7 Raiders. This should be a get right game for the ground game, but with Marshawn Lynch falling out of favor with the team, we could possibly see more from Robert Turbin and/or Christine Michael. Then again, maybe Seattle wants to utilize Lynch as much as they can while they still have him? Either way, I see a strong run game from Seattle this week with limited pass opportunites. Russell Wilson is still a decent start, but he may not exceed 20 completions in this game.
San Francisco
San Francisco returns from their bye to host the Rams. There are whispers around fantasy circles that Frank Gore is fading. That could be true, but I would not be surprised to see him continue to be the team's primary ball carrier. His experience being the biggest factor for my beliefs. The last time these teams met (just a few weeks ago), Colin Kaepernick had three touchdown passes. Anquan Boldin was a big target for Kaepernick in that game catching seven balls for 94 yards and a touchdown.
St. Louis
The Rams found some success with Tre Mason against San Francisco in the first meeting. We could see more of the rookie running back in this game, but I also think Zac Stacy will see action, especially on the road in a harsh environment where blitz pickup will be vital. Brian Quick (shoulder) is out for the year, which means Kenny Britt and Stedman Bailey will be the team's primary wide receivers with Jared Cook also getting a spike in targets. This is not a great match up for the Rams unless the 49ers get out to a big lead, which will force the passing game to exceed 35-40 attempts. If that happens, we could see some garbage time yards come into play.
Tampa Bay
The Bucs are 1-6 with the one win coming at Pittsburgh earlier this year. They look like a team that is looking ahead to next year already. That is further evidenced by the trade of SS Mark Barron to the Rams for a fourth and sixth round pick. Vincent Jackson may have some value here and there, but I don't see a lot of consistency from him. Mike Evans is someone who could see increased targets as the Bucs look to get their future receiver involved in the offense more. While I'm not a fan of Jackson, he (and Evans) aren't bad options this week against a Cleveland team who has allowed at least one touchdown to an opposing wide receiver in each of the last four games.
Tennessee - Bye Next three games at BAL, PIT, at PHI
Washington
Washington is looking forward to getting Robert Griffin (ankle) back in the lineup. Colt McCoy had a nice fairytale game last week at Dallas, but I don't see the honeymoon lasting long. The expectations are for McCoy to get another start this week at Minnesota, then Week 10 is their bye and Griffin should return in Week 11 vs. Tampa Bay. Looking ahead to Griffin's return, the schedule is favorable minus a Week 12 match up at San Francisco. I expect DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed to be strong fantasy options with Griffin under center. He's a play maker and he'll find a way to move the offense and get his receiving trio plenty of opportunities. Garcon in particular is a good trade target, especially with the bye week looming. His owner may be under .500 and looking to make a move to save his season. Grabbing Garcon during his bye could be the move you need to repair one of your holes at wide receiver.
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to haseley@footballguys.com
