Week 15 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to play…

QBs

Cam Newton, Panthers – Notched 4 TDs on 242 yards passing and added 58 rushing yards.

Nick Foles, Eagles – Passed for 237 yards and 4 TDs, without a blemish.

Brock Osweiler, Broncos – Passed for 194 yards and 2 TDs and ran 17 yards for another TD, without a turnover.

Eli Manning, Giants – Torched the Eagles secondary with 434 passing yards and 3 TDs, plus 1 INT.

Blake Bortles, Jaguars – Passed for 326 yards and 3 TDs, and no turnovers.

Jameis Winston, Buccaneers – Tossed 3 TDs along with 299 yards passing, 18 rushing and no turnovers.

RBs

Todd Gurley, Rams – Had a monster game, rushing for 152 yards and a TD trifecta, and added 3 receptions for 28 yards and a 4^th TD.

Kareem Hunt, Chiefs – Ran for 155 yards and 1 TD and had 7 receptions for 51 yards and a 2^nd score.

Mark Ingram, Saints – Rumbled for 74 yards and 2 TDs and caught 5 passes for 77 yards.

Melvin Gordon, Chargers – Rushed for 78 yards and a TD and added 6 receptions for 91 yards.

LeSean McCoy, Bills – Scored as a rusher with 50 yards and as a receiver, with 46 yards on 4 receptions.

Devonta Freeman, Falcons – Raced through the Bucs for 126 yards and a TD and led his team in receiving with 5 for 68 yards.

Le’Veon Bell, Steelers – Ran for 117 yards and a TD, plus 5 receptions for 48 yards.

Christian McCaffrey, Panthers – Ran for 63 yards and caught 6 passes for 73 yards and a TD.

WRs

Sterling Shepard, Giants – Reeled in 11 balls for 139 yards and a TD.

Keelan Cole, Jaguars – Collected 7 passes for 186 yards and 1 TD.
Taverres King, Giants – Scored on both his catches, covering 70 yards.

Jaydon Mickens, Jaguars – Made a name for himself with 4 receptions, 61 yards and 2 TDs.

TEs

Greg Olsen, Panthers – Grabbed 9 balls for 116 yards and a TD.

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots – Didn’t score, but PPR leaguers loved his 9 catches for 168 yards.

D/STs

Ravens – Collected 2 sacks, 2 fumbles, 2 INTs and a fumble return TD while holding the Browns to 10 points.

Vikings – Amassed 3 sacks, held the Bengals to 7 points and scored a TD on one of its 2 INTs.

Ks

Robbie Gould, 49ers – Made 6 FGs (from 28, 38, 45, 48, 48 and 50 yards) plus an XP.

Phil Dawson, Cardinals – Nailed all 5 of his FG attempts (from 19, 32, 34, 35 and 40 yards).

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Jay Cutler, Dolphins – Yeah, he is who we thought he was, throwing for 274 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTs.

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Offset his 227 passing yards and TD with 3 INTs.

Andy Dalton, Bengals – Looked awful passing for 113 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs before getting the hook.

RBs

Ameer Abdullah, Lions – Totaled just 21 yards on the day.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers – After his 3-TD performance last week, J-Stew accounted for just 27 rushing and 9 receiving yards.

Derrick Henry, Titans – Limited to 19 rushing and 9 receiving yards.

Jamaal Williams, Packers – Just 30 yards on the ground.

Lamar Miller, Texans – Only 33 combined yards.

Carlos Hyde, 49ers – Ran for 25 yards and caught 2 passes for 14 yards.

WRs

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks – Finished with a 6 yarder.

Travis Benjamin, Chargers – Had a 7 yarder.

DeSean Jackson, Buccaneers – Caught an 11-yard pass.

Sammy Watkins, Rams – Just 14 yards on 2 catches.

Paul Richardson, Seahawks – Found 18 yards on 2 receptions.

Devin Funchess, Panthers – Left early after a 19 yarder.

Kelvin Benjamin, Bills – Just 20 yards on 2 catches.

Dede Westbrook, Jaguars – Held to 21 yards on 2 balls.

Cooper Kupp, Rams – So was he.

Jeremy Maclin, Ravens – Grabbed a 22 yarder before leaving injured.

Danny Amendola, Patriots – Got 23 yards on 2 catches.

Mohammed Sanu, Falcons – So did he.

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Only an injury can keep him down; this time to 24 yards on 2 receptions.

Jordy Nelson, Packers – Even with A-Rod, he had just 28 yards on 3 receptions.

A.J. Green, Bengals – Limited to 30 yards on 2 catches.

Adam Thielen, Vikings – He had 30 yards on 3 receptions.

Golden Tate, Lions – Just 33 yards on 3 catches.

TEs

Jimmy Graham, Seahawks – Actually lost a yard on his only reception.

Vernon Davis, Redskins – Only 18 yards on 2 receptions.

One more, for all the marbles

It’s generally a good sign if you’re still reading this column following Week 15’s slate of games. Because if you’re like me, the minute you’re eliminated from the fantasy playoffs, the last thing you want to do is wallow in your misery.

Unless you find it therapeutic to grumble about how Todd Gurley single-handedly ended your championship dreams.

Or how Antonio Brown waited until the worst possible time to pull up lame.

Or perhaps you’re feeling like my opponent, who just needed to survive one more week before Ezekiel Elliott returns to virtually guarantee him a fantasy title. Mark Ingram kept it interesting, but it just wasn’t enough.

Those who took their chances with Aaron Rodgers were reminded that even 75 percent of A-Rod is better than most any other option.

Unless your name rhymes with Gordy Shmelson.

For some reason, Andy Dalton decided that A.J. Green would be of no help against the Vikings, choosing to target his most dangerous weapon only four times all game. Hey Andy, if you’re not going to use your elite receiver, Jimmy Garoppolo could use him.

What’s crazier? That Blake Bortles could very well lead countless players to a fantasy title, or that guys named Keelan Cole, Jaydon Mickens and Tommy Bohanon combined for five touchdowns against the once-proud Texans defense?

Greg Olsen on your bench? Yeah, that one’s gonna sting for a while.

Oh well, just think … If things didn’t work out this weekend, you’ll have more time for Christmas shopping. Which is awesome.

It’s okay to shed a tear. You’re safe here.

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 a couple who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch ‘em while you can

Martavis Bryant, WR, Steelers. With Antonio Brown out for at least the next couple of weeks with a torn calf muscle, Bryant will re-join Pittsburgh’s starting lineup. He and JuJu Smith-Schuster will team with Ben Roethlisberger against a Houston secondary that was just decimated by Blake Bortles and a pair of no-names.

Randall Cobb, WR, Packers. Davante Adams just suffered his second concussion of the season, making his availability for the Week 16 tilt highly suspect. Though the Vikings won’t make it easy, Cobb is worth consideration, especially with Rodgers back flinging touchdowns.

Tyrell Williams, WR, Chargers. I had high hopes for Williams entering this season, but he’s been a major disappointment. Keenan Allen, by contrast, has come up huge and, until Sunday, had avoided the injuries that have plagued his career. If Allen misses the Week 16 contest due to a back issue, Williams’ targets should soar against a Jets secondary that has been routinely torched.

Don’t be fooled

Aaron Jones, RB, Packers. Jamaal Williams was a bust against the Panthers, while fellow rookie Jones out-performed him on fewer touches. But Williams has been stellar over the last three games, so if you survived this weekend in spite of his woes, don’t lose faith. And certainly don’t change horses to Jones for the rough matchup with the stifling Vikings run defense.

Jaydon Mickens, WR, Jaguars. Mickens had his coming-out party against the Texans on Sunday, scoring twice on his four receptions. Prior to Week 15, the rookie had caught a single 11-yard pass. Chalk this one up to an aberration, made possible by Marqise Lee’s ill-timed ankle injury.

Sunday morning observations -- Week 15

Good morning, Fools, where it's a bittersweet day for the Chief Fool. I was unceremoniously dismissed from the first round of my big-money league last weekend, as Team Fools failed to show up in any meaningful way (with the notable exception of Kenyan Drake). Meanwhile, my opponent threw Le'Veon Bell, DeAndre Hopkins and Adam Thielen at me, and the fat lady began singing early.

That said, in my other league, my top-seeded team enjoyed its bye, so I'm gearing up for a big showdown today with a stronger-than-he-should-be 5th seed. Since you're reading this, you must be preparing for a battle of your own. So enough about me ... let's take our swing around the NFL for the news we can use to make our best starting lineup decisions.

First off, you've likely heard the news that Leonard Fournette is out with a bum quad. If he's your guy, and you don't have Chris Ivory in the wings, shame on you! Go get him now. Though he'll share the backfield with T.J. Yeldon, he has a solid matchup with the Texans, so Ivory could put up some decent numbers (again) as Fournette's proxy.

Did you stash Aaron Rodgers -- or snag him off the waiver wire -- for this game? Good for you. Don't hesitate to start him, even in his first game back from injury. He's Aaron Freaking Rodgers, and though his collarbone isn't 100% healed, if he's willing to risk it, you should be.

And yes, get Jordy Nelson back in your starting lineup, too!

There was some concern about JuJu Smith-Schuster's hamstring keeping him off the field today, but he is now expected to play. I still like his chances against the Patriots' vulnerable secondary.

Devin Funchess is expected to play, which is good news for Cam Newton's prospects against the sieve-like Packers D.

Kelvin Benjamin is also expected to play today, finally, for the Bills. No telling what kind of rapport he has with Tyrod Taylor though. Benjamin is a very risky start.

Those owners counting on Kyle Rudolph can breathe a sigh of relief. After word late this week that he was likely going to miss today's contest, he is active and will play. The only problem: Cincinnati sports a pretty salty secondary.

Ted Ginn will not play. Nor will Amari Cooper or Steelers TE Vance McDonald.

Tevin Coleman has been ruled out, which is great news for those hoping for big returns from Devonta Freeman on MNF.

Joe Mixon will not play. Gio Bernard will get the call again, but you can't be happy about his matchup with the Vikings. Hopefully you have better options.

Jared Goff will get his favorite wideout, Robert Woods, back for the showdown in Seattle. Despite the rough matchup, and his past flops against the Seahawks, I like Goff's chances to put up solid-to-strong fantasy points today. That said, I'm (perhaps foolishly) taking my chances with Cam instead. Pray for me...

For what it's worth, Seattle is expecting rain with some wind gusts up to 30 mph. That's another reason to temper your enthusiasm for both passing and kicking games. (Yikes ... I've got Greg Zuerlein. I may need to make a quick change!)

That's it for now. Inactives coming via Twitter next. Good luck to all Fools! Go win one for the Chief!

Week 15 Starters & Benchwarmers

It’s playoff time! Wondering whether or not to start Le’Veon Bell and Michael Thomas, or to bench Bryce Petty and Tyler Boyd? 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 2017 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Cam Newton, QB, Panthers vs. Packers. I should preface this by admitting that I have been consistently wrong with my projections for Newton this season. So take this recommendation for what it’s worth. Though he has generally been more dangerous as a rusher than passer, Newton has done a good job limiting his turnovers in recent weeks. Most optimistically, Green Bay has been a pushover for opposing QBs – even DeShone Kizer.

Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins at Bills. The chances of Jay Cutler pulling out another game like he had against the Patriots on Monday night are fairly remote. But you can bet that Drake will continue his dominant role in the offense. Even if Damien Williams returns, Drake should excel against the doormats in Buffalo that have surrendered more rushing TDs (18) than any defense in the NFL.

Latavius Murray, RB, Vikings vs. Bengals. If the Bills aren’t the league’s worst run defense, the Bengals are. Murray has emerged as the alpha back in Minnesota’s RB committee, though he was held in check by the Panthers last week. Look for a big rebound game from the veteran. 

Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots at Steelers. Who was that guy masquerading as Tom Brady against the Dolphins on Monday night? No telling, but don’t expect him to show up again. Not only will Rob Gronkowski be back on the field, but Pittsburgh’s rapidly deteriorating pass defense will be taking the brunt of Brady’s frustration. Hogan came up small as well in Miami, but should be targeted frequently in this clash of division leaders. Look for a nice rebound from him, as well.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers vs. Patriots. Seemingly every season, Ben Roethlisberger lays an egg at least once during the fantasy postseason. It’s hard to imagine that happening Sunday given the incredible roll he’s on and the defense he’ll be facing. New England’s secondary has held its own against some sorry passing attacks, but they’ve been torched by the good ones. With Smith-Schuster returning from suspension, look for Big Ben to give the explosive rookie every opportunity to excel in what should be a high-scoring affair.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Dak Prescott, Blake Bortles, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers; RBs Devonta Freeman, Jay Ajayi, Alvin Kamara, Jordan Howard, Alfred Morris, Jonathan Stewart, Alex Collins; WRs Devin Funchess, Keenan Allen, Larry Fitzgerald, Mohamed Sanu, Josh Gordon, Dez Bryant, Marqise Lee, Jordy Nelson, Robert Woods, Jarvis Landry, Golden Tate, Marquise Goodwin, Paul Richardson, Michael Crabtree, Adam Thielen.

Roll ‘em back

Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins vs. Cardinals. Cousins is coming off his worst game of the season, and as Patrick Peterson & Co. head to town, another poor week could be in the offing. With Jordan Reed joining Chris Thompson on I.R. and Jamison Crowder underachieving most weeks, Cousins isn’t getting enough help to overcome tough matchups like this week’s.

Lamar Miller, RB, Texans at Jaguars. Miller has been mostly mediocre this season, especially as a rusher. His saving grace has been his role in the passing game. But you can’t like his chances against the fearsome Jags, who have allowed only one rushing TD over the last nine games. With T.J. Yates under center, you know the Jags will stack the line against Miller and dare the shaky QB to test their elite defensive backs.

Samaje Perine, RB, Redskins vs. Cardinals. The rookie’s initial promise has faded over the past two games, along with Washington’s faint playoff hopes. Meanwhile, Arizona’s run defenders have stepped up their play over the last few weeks, most recently holding the Titans’ backfield duo to just 65 rushing yards. Both trends conspire against Perine in Week 15.

Robby Anderson, WR, Jets at Saints. Our first glimpse of Anderson’s breakout potential last year was with Bryce Petty under center, so there’s some reason for optimism. That said, it’s hard to expect the duo to flourish against a Saints secondary bolstered by the return of shutdown CB Marshon Lattimore. Anderson will see a lot of Lattimore on Sunday and it could prove to be a very long day for the inexperienced Petty.

Sterling Shepard, WR, Giants vs. Eagles. Truth be told, Eli Manning deserved to be benched a couple weeks ago. Just not for Geno Smith. Manning’s return to the starting lineup was predictably subpar, and his ineptitude even cost his best wideout the chance to produce. In a tougher matchup with Philly’s elite secondary, Shepard’s opportunities will continue to be limited.

More thumbs down: QBs Jay Cutler, Alex Smith, Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota; RBs Orleans Darkwa, Doug Martin, Joe Mixon, Theo Riddick; WRs Willie Snead, Kendall Wright, Sammy Watkins, DeVante Parker, Jamison Crowder, Jermaine Kearse, DeSean Jackson.

TAKING A FLIER

Dede Westbrook, WR, Jaguars vs. Texans. Blake Bortles and Marqise Lee have been raising eyebrows over the past couple of weeks, but don’t sleep on Westbrook. The supremely confident rookie actually has more targets, receptions and receiving yards than Lee since making his NFL debut in Week 11. Against a Texans secondary that lacks consistency, the Bortles-Westbrook connection should come up big.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…overlooks the two Saturday games this weekend, including an early 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff between the Bears and Lions. This is no time to forget to check the inactives and set your lineups. And as we were reminded last week in Buffalo, it’s the time of year when the weather can wreak havoc on the passing and kicking games.

Week 14 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to play…

QBs

Carson Wentz, Eagles – Passed for 291 yards and 4 TDs, and 16 rushing yards, plus an INT, before being lost for the year.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys – Beat up another sorry opponent, passing for 332 yards and 3 TDs, plus 13 rushing yards, without a turnover.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – Passing for a whopping 506 yards and 2 TDs, without a turnover.

Brett Hundley, Packers – Held down the fort well again, passing for 265 yards and 3 TDs, plus 31 rushing yards, without a blemish.

Jay Cutler, Dolphins – Remarkably, passed for 263 yards and 3 TDs, without a blemish.

RBs

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers – Raced and rumbled for 103 yards and 3 TDs.

Todd Gurley, Rams – Rushed for 96 yards and 2 TDs, plus 39 yards on 3 receptions.

Rod Smith, Cowboys – Rushed for 47 yards and a TD and caught 5 passes for 113 yards and a TD.

Theo Riddick, Lions – Scored twice while running for 29 yards and added 6 receptions for 64 yards.

Le’Veon Bell, Steelers – Rushed for 48 yards and 2 TDs, and hauled in 9 passes for 77 yards and a 3^rd TD.

Jamaal Williams, Packers – Ran for 49 yards and a TD and added 7 receptions for 69 yards and a second TD.

Jordan Howard, Bears – Rumbled for 147 yards and 2 TDs, plus an 8-yard catch.

LeSean McCoy, Bills – Plowed through the snow for 156 yards and a score.

Kenyan Drake, Dolphins – Rushed for 114 yards and caught 5 passes for 79 yards.

Alex Collins, Ravens – Ran for 120 yards and a TD and caught 2 passes for 46 yards.

WRs

DeAndre Hopkins, Texans – Reeled in 11 passes for 149 yards and 2 TDs. We’ll forgive the fumble.

Davante Adams, Packers – Gathered 10 passes for 84 yards and 2 TDs.

Michael Thomas, Saints – Caught 10 passes for 117 yards and a TD.

Jarvis Landry, Dolphins – Hauled in 8 passes for 46 yards and a pair of TDs.

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Did his thing, catching 11 passes for 213 yards.

TEs

Trey Burton, Eagles – Caught 5 passes for 71 yards and 2 TDs while Zach Ertz was inactive.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Alex Smith, Chiefs – Passed for 268 yards and an INT without a score, plus 24 rushing yards.

Josh McCown, Jets – Just 46 passing yards, and 2 turnovers, with no TDs before leaving injured.

RBs

Alvin Kamara, Saints – Got knocked out just as he was getting rolling, leaving with just 2 rushing and 25 receiving yards.

LeGarrette Blount, Eagles – Just 12 rushing and 11 receiving yards.

Aaron Jones, Packers – Lost 2 yards rushing and didn’t catch a pass.

Bilal Powell, Jets – Limited to 35 rushing yards.

Samaje Perine, Redskins – Held to 45 rushing and 7 receiving yards.

WRs

Amari Cooper, Raiders – Suited up, but finished with a goose egg.

Chris Hogan, Patriots – Returned to catch a 1-yard pass.

Jermaine Kearse, Jets – Caught a 4 yarder.

Sterling Shepard, Giants – Wasted a great matchup, with just 2 catches for 16 yards.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos – Grabbed a 16-yard pass.

T.Y. Hilton, Colts – Just 20 yards on 2 catches in the snow.

Mike Evans, Buccaneers – Just 25 yards on 2 receptions.

Will Fuller, Texans – He had 26 yards on 3 receptions.

Jeremy Maclin, Ravens – Just 27 yards on 3 catches.

Robby Anderson, Jets – Same for him.

Jordy Nelson, Packers – His 33 yards on 4 catches was better than usual these days, sadly.

Brandin Cooks, Patriots – Caught just one 38-yard pass on MNF.

TEs

Greg Olsen, Panthers – Blanked in his return.

Tyler Kroft, Bengals – Also laid a goose egg.

Charles Clay, Bills – Just 11 yards on 2 catches.