Week 12 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to play…

QBs

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Passed for 434 yards and 3 TDs, without a blemish.

Case Keenum, Vikings – Kept stranglehold on starting gig with 282 passing yards, 20 rushing yards and 3 total TDs, without a turnover.

Tom Brady, Patriots – Passed for 4 TDs and 227 yards, though he had an INT and a fumble.

Josh McCown, Jets – Notched 3 TDs while passing for 307 yards, and ran for 28 yards, though he lost a fumble.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – Passed for 351 yards and 4 TDs, and ran for 25 yards, but also threw 2 picks.

Carson Wentz, Eagles – Passed for 227 yards and 3 TDs and ran for 29 more yards, without a turnover.

Brett Hundley, Packers – Performed admirably in a tough matchup, passing for 245 yards and 3 TDs without a blemish.

RBs

Alvin Kamara, Saints – Scored while rushing for 87 and again while catching 6 passes for 101 yards.

Jamaal Williams, Packers – Rushed for 66 yards and a TD and caught 4 passes for 69 yards and a 2^nd TD.

Le’Veon Bell, Steelers – Ran for 95 yards and caught a dozen balls for 88 more, though he lost a fumble.

Rex Burkhead, Patriots – Ran for 50 yards and a TD, and caught a 2-yard scoring pass.

Tevin Coleman, Falcons – Scored 2 TDs while rushing for 97 yards.

Joe Mixon, Bengals – Had his best day as a pro, running for 114 yards and a TD and catching 3 passes for 51 yards.

WRs

Julio Jones, Falcons – Carried his patient, but grateful, owners to victory with a 12-catch, 253-yard, 2-TD performance, plus a 15-yard run for good measure.

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Did what he does, catching 10 passes for 169 yards and 2 TDs.

Robby Anderson, Jets – Racked up 6 receptions for 146 yards and 2 TDs.

Marvin Jones, Lions – Caught 6 passes for 109 yards and 2 TDs.

Keenan Allen, Chargers – Collected 11 passes for 172 yards and a TD.

Jamison Crowder, Redskins – Finally soared with 7 receptions for 141 yards and a TD.

TEs

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots – Caught 5 passes for 82 yards and 2 TDs.

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings – Scored twice on 4 catches for 63 yards.

Zach Ertz, Eagles – Pulled down 10 passes for 103 yards and a TD.

D/STs

Chargers – Amassed 2 sacks, 2 INTs and a TD on an INT return while holding Dallas to 6 points.

Panthers – Collected 3 sacks, a fumble and 2 TDs – on a punt return and fumble return.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Dak Prescott, Cowboys – Had another downer with 179 passing yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs.

Eli Manning, Giants – Continues to suck, with just 113 passing yards, no TDs and an INT.

Joe Flacco, Ravens – Led his team to a MNF win, but not his fantasy owners, with just 141 passing and 42 rushing yards and no TDs (or turnovers).

RBs

C.J. Anderson, Broncos – Rushed for a measly 12 yards.

Jordan Howard, Bears – Totaled 19 yards on the day.

Devontae Booker, Broncos – Ran for 11 yards and caught 2 passes for 22 yards.

Kareem Hunt, Chiefs – Continued his disappearing act with just 17 rushing and 9 receiving yards.

Jay Ajayi, Eagles – Settled for 26 rushing and 7 receiving yards.

Doug Martin, Buccaneers – Ran for 33 yards before leaving with a concussion.

Bilal Powell, Jets – Only 34 rushing and 12 receiving yards.

Orleans Darkwa, Giants – Just 39 combined yards on Thanksgiving.

Alfred Morris, Cowboys – Rushed for 36 yards and caught a 13-yard pass.

Theo Riddick, Lions – Combined for 30 yards.

Mark Ingram, Saints – Just 36 total yards.

Damien Williams, Dolphins – Rushed for 38 yards and caught 3 passes for 14 more.

Ameer Abdullah, Lions – Ran for 14 yards and caught 3 passes for 29 yards.

Leonard Fournette, Jaguars – Had 25 rushing and 17 receiving yards on 3 receptions.

WRs

Michael Crabtree, Raiders – Finished with a goose egg after being ejected.

DeVante Parker, Dolphins – Caught a 5-yard pass.

Jeremy Maclin, Ravens – Had a 6 yarder.

Jordy Nelson, Packers – Left out of the fun with 3 catches for 11 yards.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos – Left Oakland with 12 yards on 3 receptions.

Marqise Lee, Jaguars – Had a 13 yarder.

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals – Only 12 yards on 3 catches.

Danny Amendola, Patriots – Flopped with a 15-yard catch.

Jordan Matthews, Bills – Just 15 yards on 2 catches.

T.Y. Hilton, Colts – Same for him.

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks – Caught 2 passes for 25 yards.

Dez Bryant, Cowboys – Got 39 yards on 3 receptions.

Golden Tate, Lions – Ran for 13 yards and caught 4 passes for a whopping 7 yards.

Demaryius Thomas, Broncos – Turned 5 catches into 18 yards.

TEs

Evan Engram, Giants – Had 18 yards on 3 balls.

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Greg Olsen, Panthers – Caught a 10 yarder before re-injuring his foot.

I could’ve beaten you with my bench!

Fantasy points are a terrible thing to waste.

Yet we all do it. It can be the bane of our fantasy existence one week, then the source of our self-declared brilliance the next.

When those wasted bench points would have made the difference between winning and losing, Mondays can feel like you’re a Chicago receiver: constantly running yet empty-handed.

Yes, I had Joe Mixon on my bench. Why wouldn’t I? He was coming off a lousy Week 11 outing, the Bengals’ running game is almost historically bad and he was facing a stingy Browns run defense.

I sat Davante Adams as well, because he was facing the Steelers’ secondary and surely Brett Hundley was going to melt under the Sunday night lights.

I picked the wrong week to start Cam Newton. Again.

I left Marshawn Lynch’s best game of the season on my bench.

Heck, I gave up on Jamison Crowder weeks ago.

I don’t own Robby Anderson, but I probably would have joined the three-quarters of his owners who sat him on Sunday. Ditto for Philip Rivers.

Four out of five Jamaal Williams owners are kicking themselves today.

Over the course of this season, I’ve left anywhere from zero to 67 excess points on my bench on any given weekend. That “perfect” weekend reminded me why I am a certified fantasy guru. Would you like to see my awards?

And the bad weeks? Well, I did name my blog “Fantasy Fools.” I feel like that should be warning enough.

I’d love to blame ill-timed injuries for my unforced errors. But more often than not, it’s the unexpected Philip Rivers moments, combined with no-show performances by my regular starters.

Yeah, it was that kind of weekend.

WAIVER WIRE PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it’s best to start with a great draft. But filling gaps in your roster with the occasional waiver-wire acquisition can also pay big dividends. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch ‘em while you can

Rex Burkhead, RB, Patriots. PPR leaguers have already taken note of Burkhead, thanks to his relatively steady role in the Patriots’ passing game. But Sunday’s outburst against the Dolphins showcased his running skills as well, and marked his second double-digit-carry workload over the last three weeks. Of course, investing in New England’s RB corps can be like volunteering for a root canal, so be prepared to be left with nothing but pain in any given week.

Josh Doctson, WR, Redskins. The rookie is exactly the kind of player to be stashing for a deep playoff run. He’s not quite ready for fantasy primetime, but he appears to be on the verge of a breakout. Kirk Cousins needs a more reliable wideout option, and while Crowder stole the show on Thanksgiving, Doctson could bring more glad tidings in December.

Don’t be fooled

Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Buccaneers. Doug Martin had already worked his way onto most of his owners’ benches due to his poor play, and now a concussion could sideline him for a week or more. That would place Tampa Bay’s backfield back in Rodgers’ hands. He was just so-so early this season when Martin was suspended, and Rodgers’ ceiling will be limited further if Peyton Barber continues his goal-line vulturing act.

Josh Gordon, WR, Browns. He’s eligible for activation in Week 13, but having not played since 2014 and with a rookie QB at the controls, Gordon is simply not worth the risk. He once was spectacular, but he squandered his gifts. Perhaps next year, if he can keep his nose clean in the interim.

Sunday morning observations -- Week 12

Good morning, Fools. I'm running a little behind today as I was getting two of my kids back off to college after the Thanksgiving break. Sniff...

Let's see what's up around the NFL as we set our starting lineups for today's matchups.

Jay Cutler will not suit up today as he continues to recover from a concussion, which is good news for those hoping for big things from Kenny Stills. Matt Moore was awful in his last start, but he's been a boon for Stills when he's come in off the bench. The Pats' secondary can be exploited, but they can also show up and shut down opposing offenses. Like Miami's. I'm not optimistic about any Dolphin not named Jarvis Landry.

In that same game, I like Danny Amendola (who is active) to join Cooks and Gronk in a big game. Marty B and Chris Hogan will sit this one out, however.

Banking on a rebound game from Jared Goff today? There's reason to be optimistic, as two of the Saints' best corners (Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley) are inactive. On the negative side, Robert Woods is out. Goff has a good opportunity to shine at home in a not-so-tough matchup with the depleted New Orleans secondary.

Get Tevin Coleman in your starting backfield, as Devonta Freeman will miss another game as he recovers from his concussion.

Matt Forte is active, meaning Bilal Powell's chances are even slimmer in a bad matchup with Carolina.

Apparently I'm the only one who thinks J.D. McKissic has the potential to be a breakout RB. I love the violent way he runs (similar to Beast Mode back in his prime) and as a converted WR, he is a big contributor in the passing game. Don't be surprised if he takes on a big workload today against the 49ers and stakes his claim to the starting job going forward. If you have the flexibility, grab him now as he could be a highly coveted waiver wire pickup this week.

In somewhat of a surprise, Rishard Matthews is inactive for the Titans. Could be a busy day for rookie Corey Davis.

Kelvin Benjamin didn't travel with the Bills, but Jordan Matthews and Charles Clay will play (with Tyrod Taylor back as the starting QB).

Will Fuller has already been ruled out for MNF, so Bruce Ellington will be the No. 2 WR to DeAndre Hopkins. Not that I recommend starting Ellington for any but the most desperate of owners.

It's not official yet, but Emmanuel Sanders is expected to play later this afternoon. That said, I'm very concerned about his QB situation, even in a favorable matchup.

John Brown is out, but Fitz is the only startable WR for the Cards today.

Those waiting on Jordan Reed to return must wait a little longer. And there's no guarantee he'll be back next week, either.

Greg Olsen, on the other hand, is back and is expected to get about half his normal snaps against the Jets. That should be enough to produce better than most other TEs.

Jimmy Graham's arrow is also pointing up, so count on him being active and exploiting the 49ers defense this afternoon.

That's it for today. I'll be tweeting the inactives next. Good luck today, Fools!

Week 12 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Mark Ingram and A.J. Green, or to bench Tom Savage and Eddie Lacy? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 12 of the 2017 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons vs. Buccaneers. Ryan – and his trusty sidekick, Julio Jones – have been disappointing their owners most of the season. But nothing says “rebound” quite like the Bucs defense, which just got torched by Matt Moore. Coughing up big plays is apparently part of the Bucs’ weekly game plan, so look for the Ryan-Jones connection to find its groove on Sunday.

Isaiah Crowell, RB, Browns at Bengals. Crowell was on a nice roll before he ran into the Jacksonville buzzsaw last weekend. He has an excellent chance to return to his owners’ good graces against the eminently exploitable Cincinnati rush defense that has recently been overrun by some of the weakest running games in the NFL.

Tevin Coleman, RB, Falcons vs. Buccaneers. It now appears that Devonta Freeman won’t clear the concussion protocol in time for Sunday’s matchup with the improved-but-still-plenty-vulnerable Bucs run defense. Coleman can exploit this unit as both a runner and receiver, and he’s a good bet for at least one scoring play in this divisional showdown.

Danny Amendola, WR, Patriots vs. Dolphins. Assuming Tom Brady’s Achilles issue isn’t serious, there will be plenty of targets to go around for each of his starting receivers to get their fill from the fantasy trough. Miami’s pass defense was ripped apart by Ryan Fitzpatrick last week, and Amendola is back to making plays as understudy to Chris Hogan and Julian Edelman.

Mike Wallace, WR, Ravens vs. Texans. Our enthusiasm for Wallace’s two-game scoring stretch is tempered by his previous two-game duds (4 receptions for 39 yards, combined). The Monday nighter offers great potential, however, as Houston’s sieve-like secondary comes to town. Don’t be surprised if Wallace piles up solid yardage, including a long TD reception.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz; RBs Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette, Alvin Kamara, Dion Lewis, Christian McCaffrey; WRs Mohammed Sanu, T.Y. Hilton, Tyreek Hill, Jarvis Landry, Rishard Matthews, Alshon Jeffery.

Roll ‘em back

Jared Goff, QB, Rams vs. Saints. The second-year passer cooled off last week in Minnesota, and now he’ll face the solid Saints secondary without go-to receiver Robert Woods (shoulder). The matchup isn’t as tough with elite CB Marshon Lattimore likely sidelined, but it’s hard to expect big production from Goff with only Cooper Kupp and boom-or-bust wideout Sammy Watkins at his disposal.

Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers at Falcons. Week after week, Martin fails to take advantage of the high volume of carries he receives. He’s a non-factor in the passing game, and with Fitzpatrick at the controls, Atlanta’s so-so run defense can easily stack the line to keep Martin from finding daylight.

Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers vs. Seahawks. Hyde racked up 143 combined scrimmage yards the last time these teams met. But the Seahawks’ run defense has tightened up significantly since that Week 2 contest, and Matt Breida wasn’t competing for touches like he is now. With C.J. Beathard under center, you can expect Seattle to stack the line and limit Hyde’s upside.

Kenny Stills, WR, Dolphins at Patriots. New England’s pass defense is finding its groove after a horrid start. Meanwhile, Jay Cutler appears to be on track to clear the concussion protocol and return to the starting lineup. Both developments are bad news for those counting on another big outing from Stills, whose moments in the spotlight are generally shared with Matt Moore. [UPDATE: Cutler is out, Moore in. Stills is now worthy of a starting gig depending on your other options.]

Davante Adams, WR, Packers at Steelers. For all his faults, Brett Hundley has managed to keep Adams fantasy relevant, especially in PPR leagues. But it seems like wishful thinking to expect the connection to prosper on the road against the elite Pittsburgh secondary. Avoid all Packers in this one.

More thumbs down: QBs Tyrod Taylor, Andy Dalton, Jay Cutler; RBs Marshawn Lynch, Thomas Rawls, C.J. Anderson, LeGarrette Blount, Bilal Powell, Alex Collins, Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore, Derrick Henry, Jamaal Williams, Kenyan Drake; WRs Jordy Nelson, Kelvin Benjamin, DeVante Parker, Marqise Lee, Nelson Agholor, Will Fuller, Ted Ginn, John Brown, Dontrelle Inman, Corey Coleman.

TAKING A FLIER

J.D. McKissic, RB, Seahawks at 49ers. Seattle’s offensive line takes a lot of heat, but perhaps the team’s rushing woes should be blamed on its mediocre starting RB corps (see Rawls and Lacy). Russell Wilson can run wild, Mike Davis produced last week in his first start and McKissic has dazzled as the passing-down back when given the opportunity. If Davis sits out Sunday’s primo matchup with his groin injury, as expected, the rookie will likely be spotlighted. McKissic is a free agent in most formats, so PPR leaguers especially should grab him now before the receiver-turned-RB makes his mark.

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DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…benches Larry Fitzgerald. Ever. Sure, the Jaguars are bringing the league’s stingiest defense to town, but the future Hall of Famer is simply too good to sit in any matchup. Fitz continues to play at an elite level, and his target volume pays dividends regardless of which spare QB is under center.

Week 11 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to play…

QBs

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – Passed for 299 yards and 4 TDs, without a turnover.

Tom Brady, Patriots – Torched the Raiders with 339 yards and 3 TDs through the air.

Kirk Cousins, Redskins – Threw for 322 yards and 3 TDs, without a blemish.

Russell Wilson, Seahawks – Passed for 258 yards, rushed for 86 and scored 3 times, but lost 2 turnovers.

RBs

LeSean McCoy, Bills – Scored while rushing for 114 yards and on a 12-yard reception.

Latavius Murray, Vikings – Scored twice while rushing for 95 yards.

D’Onta Foreman, Texans – Raced for 65 yards and 2 TDs, and caught 3 passes for 15 yards, before blowing out his Achilles.

Mark Ingram, Saints – Rushed for 134 yards and a TD and added 3 passes for 21 yards.

WRs

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Feasted on the Titans with 10 receptions for 144 yards and a TD trifecta.

Keenan Allen, Chargers – Hauled in a dozen passes for 159 yards and 2 TDs.

Brandin Cooks, Patriots – Took 6 passes for 149 yards and a TD.

Adam Thielen, Vikings – Reeled in 6 passes for 123 yards and a TD.

Kenny Stills, Dolphins – Caught 7 passes for 180 yards and a TD.

TEs

Ricky Seals-Jones, Cardinals – Came out of nowhere to catch 3 passes for 54 yards and 2 TDs.

D/STs

Chargers – Scored TDs on an INT return and a fumble return, and added 1 sack, 5 INTs and a fumble.

Ravens – Collected 6 sacks, 3 INTs and 2 fumbles while shutting out the Packers.

Jaguars – Amassed 5 sacks, 2 INTs, 3 fumbles and a TD on a fumble recovery while holding the Browns to 7 points.

Eagles – Notched 4 sacks, 3 INTs, a fumble and scored on the fumble return while holding Dallas to 3 FGs.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Dak Prescott, Cowboys – Had his worst game as a pro, coughing up 3 INTs and a fumble while passing for 145 yards, running for 10 yards and failing to score.

Alex Smith, Chiefs – Squandered a good matchup with 230 passing yards, no TDs and 2 INTs, plus 27 rushing yards.

Eli Manning, Giants – Just 205 passing yards without a score (or turnover).

Jared Goff, Rams – Came back down to earth, with just 225 yards and no scores.

Brett Hundley, Packers – Tossed 3 INTs, fumbled once and didn’t score while passing for 239 yards and running for 19 more.

Jay Cutler, Dolphins – Left with a concussion, but not before throwing 3 picks, 1 TD and just 83 yards.

RBs

Adrian Peterson, Cardinals – Ran for 26 yards and caught a 13-yard pass.

Isaiah Crowell, Browns – Only 18 yards on the ground, and no catches.

Kenyan Drake, Dolphins – Limited to 14 combined yards.

Theo Riddick, Lions – Just 35 rushing and 4 receiving yards.

Doug Martin, Buccaneers – Held to 38 rushing and 6 receiving yards.

WRs

Nelson Agholor, Eagles – Lost 2 yards on his only catch.

Tyrell Williams, Chargers – Settled for an 11-yard catch.

Willie Snead, Saints – Still not contributing, with just a 12-yard reception.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos – Just 15 yards on 2 catches.

Kelvin Benjamin, Bills – Caught a 20-yarder before leaving injured.

John Brown, Cardinals – Caught 3 passes for 18 yards.

Travis Benjamin, Chargers – Stuck with a 21 yarder.

Jordy Nelson, Packers – A non-factor again, with just 24 yards in 2 catches.

DeVante Parker, Dolphins – Settled for 26 yards on 4 receptions.

Stefon Diggs, Vikings – Only 32 yards on 4 catches.

Golden Tate, Lions – He took 3 balls 32 yards.

Jeremy Maclin, Ravens – Held to 34 yards on 4 receptions.

Sammy Watkins, Rams – Limited to 3 grabs for 36 yards.

TEs

Jason Witten, Cowboys – Caught a 7-yard pass on Sunday night.

Austin Hooper, Falcons – Lost a yard on his 2 receptions.

Evan Engram, Giants – He had a 9 yarder on the day.

Cameron Brate, Buccaneers – Caught a 12 yarder.

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots – Had a quiet day in Mexico, catching 3 passes for 36 yards.

Ks

Greg Zuerlein, Rams – Just 1 XP for one of fantasy’s best.