Week 15 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Aaron Rodgers and Matt Forte, or to bench Geno Smith and Toby Gerhart? 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 15 of the 2014 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Eli Manning, QB, Giants vs. Redskins. Washington has coughed up 28 passing TDs vs. just five interceptions all season. Manning should have little trouble taking advantage of that disproportionate ratio, as he did in Week 4, especially given the firepower (read: Odell Beckham) at his disposal.

Joique Bell, RB, Lions vs. Vikings. Bell has racked up a pair of touchdowns in each of his last two games. Even with Reggie Bush back on the field, he remains the starter and is getting the lion’s share (get it?) of the carries. Minnesota is giving up tons of yards, though they stiffen up around the end zone. Bell should fix that.

Alfred Morris, RB, Redskins at Giants. Coming off his worst game of the year, Morris is hard to trust. But he’ll be plowing through the Giants’ very accommodating run defense, and given his team’s troubles at QB, you can bet he’ll be leaned on heavily.

Roddy White, WR, Falcons vs. Steelers. There’s a decent chance Julio Jones (hip) sits out this delicious matchup, which would be unfortunate for Matt Ryan but would force more targets toward White. Even if Jones suits up, his counterpart’s prospects are up given the generosity of Pittsburgh’s secondary.

Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers vs. Broncos. Allen put up a stinker against the Patriots last week, but he had been on a nice roll prior to that. Philip Rivers targeted him 13 times when these teams met in Denver mid-season, and Allen responded with nine receptions for 73 yards and a TD. Look for similar, if not better, production at home.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Tony Romo, Matt Ryan, Jay Cutler, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez; RBs C.J. Anderson, Justin Forsett, Chris Ivory, LeGarrette Blount, Mark Ingram, Isaiah Crowell, Jeremy Hill, Fred Jackson; WRs T.Y. Hilton, Kelvin Benjamin, DeAndre Hopkins, Odell Beckham, Jeremy Maclin, Jordan Matthews, Pierre Garcon, Mike Evans, Martavis Bryant, Mike Wallace, Steve Smith.

Roll ‘em back

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals at Browns. Cleveland held Andrew Luck in check for much of last week’s contest before eventually succumbing. Dalton never had a chance in Week 10, when he put up a pathetic 86 passing yards and three interceptions against the Browns. Even with A.J. Green on fire, Dalton should be benched.

Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins at Bills. Miller has no competition for carries these days, but he’s struggled recently against the better run defenses. Only the Chiefs have surrendered fewer rushing scores to date than the Patriots’ five, so don’t expect a stellar performance in this one.

Ryan Mathews, RB, Chargers vs. Broncos. Mathews has been missing practice with an ankle injury incurred in last week’s game, but he should suit up on Sunday. The ankle will be the least of his worries when Denver’s stout run defense comes to town.

Josh Gordon, WR, Browns vs. Bengals. He and Johnny Manziel have had precious little time to get in sync, so temper your expectations despite the good matchup. Manziel is predisposed to take off running when his receivers are covered, so he’s unlikely to give Gordon the extra time necessary to break free downfield.

Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers at Seahawks. Two weeks ago, Boldin was held to three receptions for 18 yards at home against the Seahawks. That was eight yards more than his partner, Michael Crabtree, registered. This duo is doomed on the road against the Legion of Boom.

More thumbs down: QBs Colin Kaepernick, Derek Carr, Derek Anderson, Teddy Bridgewater; RBs Frank Gore, Gio Bernard, Trent Richardson, Bishop Sankey, Doug Martin, Rashad Jennings, Matt Asiata, Darren McFadden; WRs Michael Crabtree, Mohamed Sanu, Terrance Williams, Reggie Wayne, Eric Decker, James Jones, Charles Johnson, Andre Johnson.

TAKING A FLIER

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens vs. Jaguars. Flacco periodically goes through stretches where he’s actually an attractive fantasy passer. He’s on a two-game roll now in which he’s accounted for three total TDs each week, and he’ll welcome the soft Jaguar secondary to his home stadium this week. Even if Torrey Smith can’t play, Flacco should have a nice afternoon.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…trusts Johnny Football in his first start. The stakes are too high, and he is too green, to risk him in your starting lineup. Even in two-QB leagues, you surely have safer options than Manziel.

Week 14 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Cam Newton, Panthers – Had his best game of the season with 226 passing yards and 3 TDs plus 83 rushing yards and a 4^th TD, without a turnover.

Matt Ryan, Falcons – Racked up 375 yards and 4 TDs, plus 23 rushing yards and an INT, in the loss to Green Bay.

Jay Cutler, Bears – Passed for 341 yards and 2 TDs with 1 INT, plus a rushing TD.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – Racked up 350 passing yards and a trio of TDs.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers – Methodically put the Falcons away with 327 yards passing and 3 TDs, plus 28 rushing yards, without a blemish.

Matt Stafford, Lions – Rang up 311 yards and 3 TDs without a turnover.

Andy Dalton, Bengals – Threw for 302 yards and 2 TDs and added 22 yards and a TD on the ground, but lost a fumble.

Russell Wilson, Seahawks – Passed for 263 yards and 2 TDs, and ran for 48 yards and a 3^rd TD, with no blemishes.

RBs

Joique Bell, Lions – Had 83 rushing yards and a TD, plus 5 receptions for 50 yards and a second TD.

LeVeon Bell, Steelers – Ran for 185 yards and 2 TDs, and added 6 catches for 50 yards and a third TD.

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs – Rushed for 91 yards and a TD, and took 2 passes for 20 yards and a second TD.

Eddie Lacy, Packers – Scored rushing and receiving while combining for 106 yards.

C.J. Anderson, Broncos – Scored all 3 TDs for the Broncos while rushing for 58 yards.

DeMarco Murray, Cowboys – Rumbled for 179 yards and a TD plus 9 catches for 49 yards.

WRs

A.J. Green, Bengals – Reeled in 11 passes for 224 yards and a score.

Julio Jones, Falcons – Torched the Packers’ secondary with 11 receptions for 259 yards and a TD.

Jordy Nelson, Packers – Hauled in 8 passes for 146 yards and a pair of TDs.

Mike Evans, Buccaneers – Caught 4 passes for 45 yards and 2 TDs.

Calvin Johnson, Lions – Grabbed 8 balls for 158 yards and a TD.

Odell Beckham, Jr, Giants – Racked up 130 yards and a TD on 11 receptions.

Julian Edelman, Patriots – Took 8 passes 141 yards and scored a TD.

TEs

Jared Cook, Rams – Took 4 passes 61 yards, including 2 TDs.

Martellus Bennett, Bears – Caught a dozen passes for 84 yards and a TD.

Michel Rivera, Raiders – Pulled down 7 passes for 109 yards and a score.

DSTs

Rams – Pitched their second straight shutout while collecting 7 sacks, 2 INTs and a punt return TD.

Browns – Accumulated 3 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 fumbles and two defensive TDs.

Vikings – Generated 3 sacks and TDs on both of their turnovers.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Peyton Manning, Broncos – Had his TD streak snapped by the Bills, of all teams, who held him to 173 yards and 2 INTs.

Colt McCoy, Redskins – Came back down to earth with 199 passing yards and 2 INTs, plus 11 rushing yards.

RBs

Darren Sproles, Eagles – Didn’t gain a single yard as a runner or receiver.

Alfred Morris, Redskins – Never got going with 6 rushing yards and an 11-yard catch.

Darren McFadden, Raiders – Touched the ball just 4 times, and gained 5 yards.

Doug Martin, Buccaneers – Ran for 22 yards and caught a pass for 0 yards.

Reggie Bush, Lions – Limited to 26 yards and caught 4 passes for 8 yards.

Bishop Sankey, Titans – Only 27 combined yards.

Denard Robinson, Jaguars – Held to 30 rushing yards and no catches.

LeSean McCoy, Eagles – Rushed for 50 yards and fumbled, and never caught a pass.

Mark Ingram, Saints – Just 43 rushing and 13 receiving yards, plus a fumble.

Ryan Mathews, Chargers – Had 44 rushing and 4 receiving yards.

Tre Mason, Rams – Limited to 66 rushing yards.

WRs

Terrance Williams, Cowboys – Blanked by the Bears.

Torrey Smith, Ravens – He was active but never hit the field.

Cecil Shorts, Jaguars – Took 2 passes just 3 yards.

Keenan Allen, Chargers – So did he.

Reuben Randle, Giants – Marginalized with a 9-yarder.

Demaryius Thomas, Broncos – Unbelievably, held to 11 yards on 2 catches.

James Jones, Raiders – Put up the same stat line as Thomas.

Mohamed Sanu, Bengals – Caught 2 passes for 16 yards.

Andre Johnson, Texans – Only 17 yards on 4 passes.

Kenny Stills, Saints – Slowed down by the Panthers, with just 23 yards on 3 balls.

Jordan Matthews, Eagles – He got 23 yards on 2 receptions.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs – Just 29 yards on 2 receptions.

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals – Returned from injury but had just 34 yards on 4 passes.

Mike Wallace, Dolphins – Made 39 yards on 3 catches.

DeAndre Hopkins, Texans – Just 49 yards on 4 receptions.

TEs

Julius Thomas, Broncos – Was activated, but ran just one route and finished with a goose egg.

Jason Witten, Cowboys – Just 26 yards on 2 receptions.

Jimmy Graham, Saints – Caught 3 more passes than last week, but for just 25 yards.

Jordan Reed, Redskins – He, too, had 3 for 25.

Luck struggles, but the lucky move on

As the old maxim goes, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Chances are, if you made it to the fantasy postseason, your team is pretty good. But if you were facing off this weekend against Peyton Manning or his prolific receiving corps, you may want to run out and buy some lottery tickets. Fortune is clearly on your side.

Like countless others, I spent a tortuous three hours Sunday afternoon cheering on the Bills and their improbable success against Denver’s aerial superstars. I’m no Bills fan, mind you; and it didn’t even matter to me how well Manning did. I just needed Buffalo to keep Demaryius Thomas under control.

I didn’t dare wish for his worst game of the season; and yet two receptions and 11 yards later, my first-round opponent was stuck with Thomas’ least-productive outing since 2011!

For his part, Manning hasn’t fared that poorly since he took an early shower in Week 17 of the 2009 season.

Julius Thomas returned to the active roster, but ran just one route all day. That’s just mean.

Those facing C.J. Anderson were the unluckiest of all, as the suddenly top-flight fantasy back punched in the only three touchdowns Denver needed to defeat its visitors.

Meanwhile, Andrew Luck overcame his own lackluster start against the Browns to salvage his owners’ prospects and, along the way, made T.Y. Hilton one of the stars of the weekend. Hilton was joined by Le’Veon Bell, Joique Bell, Jamaal Charles and A.J. Green atop the list of Week 14 heroes. Heck, even Cam Newton turned in a stellar stat line for the few owners that still trusted him.

Today, countless fantasy enthusiasts are second-guessing their first-round investment in Manning, and the premium picks they spent on the Thomases. As for the rest of us, Christmas came early.

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. At this stage of the game, however, few viable candidates are available on the waiver wire. For what it’s worth…

Catch ‘em while you can

Knile Davis, RB, Chiefs. When Jamaal Charles hobbled off the field and into the locker room to inspect his injured ankle on Sunday, hearts stopped across Fantasyland. Don’t allow his quick return and electrifying touchdown reception to lull you into complacency. Somehow, Knile Davis is available in roughly three-quarters of all fantasy leagues. He’s no Charles, but he’s arguably the most capable backup in the NFL.

Juwan Thompson, RB, Broncos. C.J. Anderson had a noticeable limp throughout Sunday’s contest, but it didn’t keep him from scoring his TD hat trick. Nevertheless, with no sign of Montee Ball or Ronnie Hillman returning, Anderson’s owners would be wise to handcuff Thompson to their emerging star. The rookie has shown some nice flashes with his limited opportunities and he, too, has a nose for the end zone.

Don’t be fooled

Kerwynn Williams, RB, Cardinals. Marion Grice saw the most action in Week 13. Stepfan Taylor got the start on Sunday. Veteran rusher Michael Bush was signed a couple weeks ago, then released. But it was Williams, signed off the practice squad on Friday, who rumbled for 100 yards in place of the injured Andre Ellington. Go figure. But don’t go crazy and pick him up. With the Rams and Seahawks on tap, no Arizona runner will be starting material down the stretch.

Marquess Wilson, WR, Bears. With Brandon Marshall out for the season with lung and rib injuries, Wilson will be asked to step into the veteran’s outside role. That will surely mean more targets in his direction, but the second-year receiver has done little to suggest he will instantly become a fantasy force.

Sunday morning Foolishness -- Week 14

Good morning, Fools! It's a great day for the first round of the fantasy playoffs. And may I add, a great day to be a Baylor Bear... I am realistic enough to know that we aren't going to make the college football playoffs, but I certainly expect to be #5 ahead of #6 TCU.

Can you imagine a sports world in which head-to-head doesn't matter? If you win your matchup by 3 points today but your opponent had a better regular-season record than you, should he/she move on ahead of you anyway? Puh-leeze. That's why we play the games!

Anyway, I digress. Here's what we need to know to set our winning lineups for the day:

If you're counting on Rashad Jennings, I feel for you. It appears that he will suit up, but according to reports, his playing time will depend on how his ankle reacts. If it holds up well, he'll play more. If he gets gimpy, he'll sit down. So there's a good deal of risk associated with him, and therefore with his backup, Andre Williams.

Jerick McKinnon has been placed on IR and is done for the season due to a back injury, leaving Minnesota's backfield in the hands of some combination of Matt Asiata, Ben Tate and Joe Banyard. We'll see how it unfolds today, but last week's results weren't pretty. I'd keep my distance for now.

Looks like Andre Ellington is also out for the duration thanks to his injuries. Again, we'll get a glimpse into the Cardinals' backfield plans today; but I'm not investing in any of those backs now. Stepfan Taylor will start, but Marion Grice will see some action as well. Not sure at this point about Michael Bush's status. At least they're expecting Larry Fitzgerald back today.

Isaiah Crowell will be a game-time decision. I like his prospects if he plays.

Shonn Greene will be out, leaving the Titans' backfield in Bishop Sankey's rookie hands.

There's a good chance DeSean Jackson (shin) won't play today. We'll know soon enough.

And if you missed the announcement on Friday, Brandon Marshall is gone for the season with ribs and lung injuries. 

Roddy White is expected to suit up on Monday night. Everyone else I've seen out there seems to think the Falcons are going to have success through the air; but I just don't buy it. I don't like Matty Ice in this frigid matchup, despite the irony of his nickname. I think he'll freeze up and be pretty terrible. And the Packers' defense can bring the pressure and be very opportunistic. But hey, I've been wrong before.

Jordan Cameron (concussion) has finally been cleared to play. That's the second bit of good news that Brian Hoyer's gotten this week.

There you go. That's it for now. I'm off to Twitter for the inactives and other late-breaking news. Now, go act like Baylor and kick some butt today!

Week 14 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Drew Brees and Emmanuel Sanders, or to bench Geno Smith and Cordarrelle Patterson? 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 14 of the 2014 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks at Eagles. Wilson leaves a lot to be desired in the aerial department, but his running prowess often makes up for the lack of TD passes. The Eagles just shut down Tony Romo & Company, but they are typically very generous to opposing passers. Look for a better-than-normal day at the office for Wilson; and better than normal is pretty darn good.

Chris Ivory, RB, Jets at Vikings. Personally, I wouldn’t want to rely on any Jets player during the fantasy playoffs. But those who watched the Monday night snoozer know the team’s offensive game plan with Geno Smith under center: Run, run, run. Chris Johnson had the better game last week, but that was an aberration. Against the Vikings’ soft run defense, Ivory is the safer bet.

Frank Gore, RB, 49ers at Raiders. Here’s another guy who’s hard to trust. But against a pathetic Raiders team that just coughed up 172 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground to the Rams, Gore makes a great RB2 or flex play. Especially since the 49ers’ passing attack is struggling.

Jarvis Landry, WR, Dolphins vs. Ravens. Somehow, the rookie has managed to do in a few weeks what Mike Wallace hasn’t done in nearly two years: Get in sync with Ryan Tannehill. Landry is the most targeted and productive of the Miami receivers, and he should pile on the stats against Baltimore’s sieve-like secondary.

Kenny Stills, WR, Saints vs. Panthers. The second-year wideout is coming into his own, thanks to Brandin Cooks’ absence and a blossoming rapport with Drew Brees. Look for him to build off last week’s mastery of the Steelers with another stellar outing against the hapless Panthers pass defense.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Matt Stafford, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning; RBs Justin Forsett, Joique Bell, Mark Ingram, Isaiah Crowell, LeGarrette Blount, Tre Mason, C.J. Anderson; WRs Josh Gordon, Brandon LaFell, Odell Beckham, Jr., Keenan Allen, Anquan Boldin, Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins.

Roll ‘em back

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons at Packers. Ryan is coming off one of his best games of the season and he has a good matchup on paper. But don’t be fooled. He and his receivers fare much better in the climate-controlled confines of their domed home. The tundra will be frozen at Lambeau Field on Monday night, the ball will be slick and the opportunistic Packers secondary will remind the visitors why they prefer the South.

Fred Jackson, RB, Bills at Broncos. As expected, F-Jax has claimed the lead back role in Buffalo now that he is fully recovered from his groin injury. But he’ll be facing a juiced-up Broncos run defense that just held Jamaal Charles in check and is among the league’s stingiest units. This is a tough road assignment for Jackson.

Latavius Murray, RB, Raiders vs. 49ers. Though the rookie has passed the NFL’s concussion protocol and is cleared to play, his head coach is not ready to anoint him the team’s lead RB. With Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew stinking up the joint, and literally zero to lose by launching a youth movement, that’s baffling. Regardless, don’t risk Murray in your lineup against a solid 49ers run defense.

 

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals vs. Chiefs. Fitzgerald is now practicing in full, putting him on track to return after a two-week absence due to a sprained knee. Arizona desperately needs his play-making ability on the field, but a less-than-100 percent Fitzgerald teamed with a struggling Drew Stanton facing a solid Kansas City pass defense is a recipe for fantasy failure.

Vincent Jackson, WR, Buccaneers at Lions. Josh McCown is in a funk, and he’s playing favorites. Unfortunately for Jackson, Mike Evans is the golden child. The veteran has taken a back seat to the rookie; and with Detroit’s disruptive secondary on tap, all bets are off for Jackson.

More thumbs down: QBs Cam Newton, Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, Colt McCoy, Josh McCown, Drew Stanton, Kyle Orton, Derek Carr; RBs Darren Sproles, Doug Martin, Trent Richardson, Jonathan Stewart, Jeremy Hill, Matt Asiata; WRs Percy Harvin, Eric Decker, Pierre Garcon, Sammy Watkins, James Jones, Michael Floyd, Martavis Bryant, Jordan Matthews, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Steve Smith.

TAKING A FLIER

Davante Adams, WR, Packers vs. Falcons. You’re probably not desperate at WR if you’ve made the postseason, but Adams has a chance to follow-up last week’s breakout performance with another dandy. The visiting Falcons are essentially inept at pass defense, and Aaron Rodgers is surely their worst nightmare. There will be plenty of balls to go around, and perhaps an early shower for the starters.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…forgets to factor in the weather, especially on kickers. It’s worth a reminder that things can get nasty in a hurry up north. Challenging conditions could be in play at several venues this weekend, including those hosted by the Titans, Packers, Vikings and Seahawks.

Week 13 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Texans – Reclaimed the starting job with a flourish, passing for 358 yards and a whopping 6 TDs, plus 10 yards running, and no turnovers.

Andrew Luck, Colts – Torched the Redskins for 370 yards and 5 TDs, plus 20 rushing yards, with 2 turnovers.

Drew Brees, Saints – Threw for 257 yards and 5 TDs, without a blemish.

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Passed for 383 yards and 3 TDs, with 19 rushing yards nearly offsetting his INT.

Colt McCoy, Redskins – Acquitted himself well with 392 passing yards and 3 TDs, plus 12 yards running, with a fumble lost.

RBs

Joique Bell, Lions – Got all 91 of Detroit’s rushing yards with 2 TDs, plus 16 yards on 2 receptions.

LeVeon Bell, Steelers – Ran for 95 yards and a score, and added 8 catches for 159 receiving yards.

Tre Mason, Rams – Rumbled for 117 yards and 2 TDs, and caught 3 passes for 47 yards and a third TD.

Rashad Jennings, Giants – Ran for 91 yards and 2 TDs, plus 3 receptions for 3 yards.

C.J. Anderson, Broncos – Burst through the Chiefs for 168 rushing yards and caught 2 passes for 17 yards and a TD.

LeSean McCoy, Eagles – Rushed for 159 yards and a TD, but lost a fumble.

WRs

DeAndre Hopkins, Texans – Had a monster day with 9 receptions for 238 yards and 2 TDs.

Calvin Johnson, Lions – His owners were thankful for his 11 receptions for 146 yards and 2 TDs.

Donte Moncrief, Colts – Turned 3 catches into 134 yards and 2 long TDs.

Keenan Allen, Chargers – Pulled down 11 passes for 121 yards and 2 TDs.

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Kept up his killer year with 8 catches for 97 yards and 2 TDs.

Alshon Jeffery, Bears – Reeled in 9 passes for 71 yards and 2 TDs.

Torrey Smith, Ravens – Grabbed 6 passes for 65 yards and a pair of TDs.

Julio Jones, Falcons – Collected 10 passes for 189 yards and a score.

Kenny Stills, Saints – Caught 5 passes for 162 yards and a TD.

TEs

Coby Fleener, Colts – His 4 receptions were worth 127 yards and 2 TDs.

DSTs

Rams – Shut out the Raiders while collecting 6 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries and scored on one of their 3 INTs.

Jaguars – Accumulated 4 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries and scored on 2 fumble returns.

Vikings – Had 4 sacks, one INT, two TDs on blocked punts and held Carolina to 13 points.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Tony Romo, Cowboys – Had an awful day with 199 passing yards, no TDs and 2 INTs.

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers – Passed for a meager 121 yards, no TDs and 2 INTs, plus 17 rushing yards.

Brian Hoyer, Browns – Just 192 passing yards, no TDs and 2 INTs.

Derek Carr, Raiders – Passed for 173 yards, no TDs and 2 INTs.

Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins – Disappointed with just 235 yards, no TDs and 1 INT, plus 13 rushing yards.

RBs

Andre Ellington, Cardinals – Just 12 yards before leaving with an injury.

DeAngelo Williams, Panthers – Held to 21 rushing yards.

Frank Gore, 49ers – Ran for 28 yards and caught an 8-yarder.

Isaiah Crowell, Browns – Just 29 rushing and 15 receiving yards.

Bishop Sankey, Titans – Only 42 rushing yards.

Matt Asiata, Vikings – Got the start, but only ran for 52 yards.

Darren McFadden, Raiders – Combined for 45 yards.

WRs

Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings – Had a goose egg.

Steve Smith, Ravens – Limited to a 2-yarder.

Pierre Garcon, Redskins – Turned 3 passes into just 9 yards.

Michael Crabtree, 49ers – Shut down by the Seahawks again, with 10 yards on 3 catches.

Wes Welker, Broncos – Caught a 12-yard pass.

Justin Hunter, Titans – Held to an 18-yard catch.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs – He had 18 yards on 2 receptions.

Eric Decker, Jets – So did he.

Martavis Bryant, Steelers – Disappointed with a 23-yard catch.

Sammy Watkins, Bills – Continued his slide with just 11 yards on 3 receptions.

Anquan Boldin, 49ers – Only 18 yards on 3 receptions.

Mohamed Sanu, Bengals – Ran for 10 yards and caught 2 passes for 19 more.

Andrew Hawkins, Browns – Had 24 yards on 2 receptions.

Vincent Jackson, Bucs – Ditto for him.

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks – Just 28 yards on 2 catches.

Reggie Wayne, Colts – Only 31 yards on 4 receptions.

James Jones, Raiders – Had 33 yards on 6 catches.

Percy Harvin, Jets – Ran for 27 yards, which was 21 more than his only reception.

TEs

Jimmy Graham, Saints -- Didn't just turn in a goose egg. He wasn't even targeted the whole game!

Zach Ertz, Eagles – Held without a catch on Thanksgiving.

Jason Witten, Cowboys – Had an 8-yarder on the day.

Vernon Davis, 49ers – Continued his terrible season with 13 yards on 2 catches.

Regular season goes out with a bang

Whether you sailed into the fantasy postseason en route to a first-round bye or squeezed in by the hair on Andrew Luck’s chinny chin chin, the important point is that you made it to the Big Dance.

My assumption is that anyone who failed to reach the playoffs now recoils at the word “fantasy” and would no sooner read this column than send a Christmas present to Jimmy Graham (he of the no-catch, not-even-one-target debacle in Pittsburgh).

For the rest of us, playoff seeding was on the line this weekend, and there was no shortage of heroes and villains to laud or disparage.

You probably weren’t the one person on the planet that started Ryan Fitzpatrick, but you may be singing his praises anyway for his supporting role in DeAndre Hopkins’ career day.

Feel free to pat yourself on the back for starting Tre Mason against the “Just Rollover, Baby” Raiders, or for giving Joique Bell the nod on Thanksgiving. No one would mock you for sending a lovely gift basket to C.J. Anderson or Julio Jones in appreciation for their fine work this weekend, either.

And if you survived despite the untimely implosion of Tony Romo, the early exit of Andre Ellington or even the inexplicable disappearance of Graham, find comfort in knowing that you get to start all over next weekend with a clean slate.

It’s playoff time, my friend: The culmination of an embarrassing amount of draft prep and research hours, weekly angst over start/bench decisions and waiver-wire bids, and countless zombie-like viewing sessions of the Red Zone Channel.

The grand prize awaits, whether your payoff is counted in dollars, your name etched on the side of a traveling trophy or a year of bragging rights over your fellow owners. So this is no time to get cute. The old fantasy axiom remains: “Dance with the ones that brung ya.”

Ask any Calvin Johnson or Drew Brees owner. They know what I’m talking about.

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup during the postseason.

Catch ‘em while you can

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Texans. The last thing you want to do is chase points in fantasy football, and latching onto Fitzpatrick after his career day is the definition of that practice. That said, next week’s opponents (the Jags) are every bit as vulnerable as the Titans. Fitzpatrick should be in for another solid, if not stellar, outing in Week 14; though your best strategy may be simply to grab and bench him so you don’t have to worry about your opponent getting lucky.

Michael Bush, RB, Cardinals. Depending on the severity of Andre Ellington’s hip pointer injury, the newly acquired Bush could be pressed into action next week. He’ll first have to vault over Marion Grice and Stepfan Taylor, so he comes with caveats. But Bush has starting experience and the pedigree you would expect to get the nod going forward. Only Ellington’s owners should be interested, however.

Jordan Reed, TE, Redskins. Struggling at the tight end position? Reed seems to have finally put this season’s injury woes behind him, and he’s available in roughly three-quarters of all leagues. Following his nine-catch, 123-yard outing against the Colts, Reed is poised to contribute to a championship contender.

Don’t be fooled

Johnny Manziel, QB, Browns. You wouldn’t launch your postseason run with a rookie QB making his first start, would you? Of course you wouldn’t. And you shouldn’t. The Johnny Football era may have arrived in Cleveland, but that just means the growing pains are about to begin in earnest. Sure, he’ll dazzle us a time or two; but his mistakes are likely to be too much to overcome.

Donte Moncrief, WR, Colts. I told you after his Week 8 explosion that you couldn’t count on this rookie to be a consistent contributor, and I was right. Following Sunday’s monster outing, nothing has changed. More often than not, Moncrief will remain behind T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne and the tight end in Luck’s pecking order.

Ladd Biro was named Football Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for two consecutive years (2010, 2011). He was a finalist again in 2013. Follow all his advice daily at the Fantasy Fools blog (fantasy-fools.blogspot.com), on Facebook and via Twitter (@ladd_biro).