The fantasy football regular season is winding down, players are dropping like flies to injuries and fantasy owners are hoping they can survive the carnage. If you’re entering this week still in the playoff hunt, you deserve some credit. Injuries, under-performance and bad luck destroy a lot of fantasy football seasons. Being alive at this point is a testament to good team building, good decision-making and good luck.

To help you keep it going or get back into the race in the final few weeks, I’ve compiled a boom/bust list of players who are likely to either have monster outings or crash and burn.

Potential Booms of The Week

Quarterbacks:

Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars: Who could’ve predicted that Blake Bortles would be a Top 10 fantasy QB heading into Week 10? The second-year QB has at least 20 fantasy points in three of his last four games and faces a very generous Ravens D, surrendering an average of 21.8 fantasy points per game to the position.

Eli Manning, QB, Giants: Eli Manning has been frustrating to own this season. One week he goes off for six TDs and the next week he’s held to 12 fantasy points. The numbers show that the Patriots have been good against QBs, but they haven’t exactly faced a lineup of future Hall-of-Famers (Brandon Weeden, Andrew Luck, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill and Kirk Cousins over the last five weeks). Eli seems to do well against the Patriots and if the Giants have any chance of winning, it will be in a shootout riding Eli’s arm. I’m all in on him this week.

Running Backs:

DeMarco Murray, RB, Eagles: With three TDs in his last four games, fantasy owners who stuck with him are finally starting to reap the rewards. Miami’s run defense was shredded for 222 YDs and three TDs last week in Buffalo, and the unit has been mediocre at best overall this season. Keep riding Murray’s momentum as he seems to be improving with every game.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Steelers: Last week’s 170 YD, three TD performance by DeAngelo Williams won a lot of fantasy matchups for owners, and there’s no reason it should stop at home against Cleveland. The Browns have one of the worst rushing defenses in the game, and with Ben Roethlisberger potentially out with an injury, Pittsburgh may lean on Williams even more.

Wide Receivers:

DeSean Jackson, WR, Redskins: We’ve been waiting all season for a DeSean Jackson sighting and you can’t ask for a better match up. Facing the New Orleans Saints is the new fantasy football performance enhancing drug on the block. In the last six games, the Saints have allowed 12 TDs, 82 receptions and 1,162 YDs to receivers. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect game to start Jackson, this is it.

Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars: Last week I had Robinson on the busts list and he ended up catching six passes for 121 YDs – not bad for a trip to Revis Island. This week, he faces a Ravens squad that has been putrid against receivers, allowing seven TDs and 567 YDs to the position over the last three weeks.

Tight Ends:

Gary Barnidge, TE, Browns: Some fantasy owners may be worried about Gary Barnidge coming back to Earth after he put up his first less than stellar performance in weeks. Two receptions for 35 YDs is not great, but it was unrealistic to think he’d be putting up Gronk-like numbers every single week. A match against a vulnerable Pittsburgh defense should help him bounce back.

Jordan Reed, TE, Redskins: The Saints are just plain bad on defense and Jordan Reed is a very underrated commodity at the TE position. He has three TDs in his last two games and should keep it going this week at home against New Orleans.

Defenses:

Denver Broncos: We were all looking for a better performance from the Broncos last week, but after dominating the Packers a week earlier, perhaps they got a little cocky. Fresh off of a humbling performance, look for an angry Broncos defense to try and make a statement this Sunday at home against the offensively-challenged Chiefs.

Potential Busts of the Week

Quarterbacks:

Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans: Marcus Mariota’s four TD, 371 yard performance last week was a reminder of how good he can be in the right matchup. A home tilt against the Carolina Panthers is not the right match up. If you take away Aaron Rodgers’s four TD performance last week (most of which was in garbage time), the Panthers have allowed just two multi-TD games and one 300 plus YD performance. Don’t chase the numbers, leave Mariota on the bench.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks: It’s likely that many have already moved on from Russell Wilson. But for those still holding out hope that their third round pick will turn things around, this is not the week it begins. Forgetting Wilson’s pedestrian numbers (just one multiple TD game this season), Arizona has been pretty good against the pass, allowing just two 300 YD games and four multi-TD performances from QBs.

Running Backs:

Chris Johnson, RB, Cardinals: It has been a nice comeback for Chris Johnson this season. He has four games with over 100 rushing YDs and has been one of the more reliable options at the RB position. Because of the scarcity at the position, you may not have a better option this week, but he’s facing a Seahawks team that is one of the best against the run. The defensive unit has allowed just two rushing TDs this season and both came in one game.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jaguars: The rookie RB has been playing well lately, topping 100 total YDs in three of the last four games and scoring two TDs during that stretch. With his momentum seemingly increasing, it will be tough to bench him, but Baltimore has been solid against the run this season, allowing only three rushing TDs and just two games with more than 100 YDs on the ground.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks: Like many of the Seahawks big time players, Marshawn Lynch has not really been his usual dominant fantasy football self. While this may improve down the road, it’s not likely to this week at home against Arizona. You’re almost definitely starting him and praying for a Beast Mode moment, but the Cardinals have allowed just two rushing TDs this season, so temper expectations accordingly.

Wide Receivers:

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Chiefs: With the exception of two weeks early in the season, Jeremy Maclin has been very average, offering mid-tier WR2 numbers at best. A mediocre quarterback, no Jamaal Charles and an angry Denver defense looking for a redemptive performance are not the ingredients for a big outing for Maclin.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald is enjoying a nice renaissance season in Arizona, racking up seven TDs and 706 receiving YDs so far. But Seattle’s defense hasn’t allowed a wide receiver to score a TD since Week 2. Starting Fitzgerald this week is a big roll of the dice, especially in Seattle.

Tight Ends:

Julius Thomas, TE, Jaguars: In the four games since he returned from injury, Julius Thomas has 13 receptions, 116 YDs and just one TD. There are just too many offensive options in Jacksonville for Julius to get consistent looks. Additionally, the Ravens have been great against TEs this season, allowing just one TD to the position so far.

Diamonds in The Rough

We all need spot starts. Whether it be because of injuries, bye weeks or bad matchups, sometimes you need a miracle from the waiver wire. We’re here to provide one for you.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins: I’m going back to Cousins again, despite the disappointment last week. Facing the Saints this week has to give him a boost.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins: At this point the waiver-wire for running backs is essentially a wasteland. Ajayi has fresh legs, gained 41 YDs off of five touches last week, and will likely get a few more carries.

Rueben Randle, WR, Giants: New England has been vulnerable against WRs and with the extra attention likely to be paid to Odell Beckham Jr., Randle has a chance to get some extra targets.

Heath Miller, TE, Steelers: Miller isn’t a very exciting starting option, but Cleveland has allowed five TDs to TEs in the last two weeks. You could do worse.

Pittsburgh Steelers Defense: The Steelers are an above average fantasy defense facing an awful Cleveland offense.

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