RADIO
Strangely, for as many unfortunately timed injuries as there were in week 15, most of them appear to be straight forward enough that they’re best served holding off on discussing until we get into the individual games. I will say, however, that outside of a few exceptions, most of the replacement level players won’t be worth relying on with a fantasy championship in the balance. Let’s just dive right into this past weekend’s slate of games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ St. Louis Rams
If you’re like me and a decent portion of the rest of America, you opted to see Star Wars instead of watching this highly irrelevant NFL matchup on Thursday night. Even with both teams having little to play for, there were still a few fantasy contributors that showed up. Both Mike Evans and Doug Martin had solid outings for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Evans reeled in nine receptions for 157 yards while Martin had 91 yards on 18 rushing attempts. Neither found the endzone, however, with James Winston’s two scores going to Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Luke Stocker. Evans and Martin are the only two Bucs worth considering starting in fantasy lineups.
As for the Rams, Todd Gurley remains the only reliable asset from a fantasy perspective. He didn’t have a huge game or anything but he did manage to score a touchdown, salvaging his low rushing total of 48 yards. I know Tavon Austin scored twice as well but in no way shape or form is that something you’ll want to bank on this late in the fantasy playoffs.
New York Jets @ Dallas Cowboys
The New York Jets edged out a late win over the Dallas Cowboys in a rare Saturday night football game. There really isn’t anything new to report on the Jets side of the ball; you’re starting Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker and Chris Ivory has tailed off considerably since his big breakout to start the year.
Last week I mentioned that Dez Bryant was no longer a must start considering the Cowboys’ quarterback woes yet here we are a week later and Dez managed to score a touchdown after all. Matt Cassel ended up getting benched in favor of Kellen Moore so this QB situation isn’t exactly getting any clearer. Dez basically depends on the depth of your wide receiving core. Other than that, Darren McFadden is the only Cowboy you can use with confidence.
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings
There was some widespread panic in this game when Adrian Peterson suffered what appeared to be a significant ankle injury but he has since turned it around rather quick ahead of Minnesota’s upcoming game against the Giants. He’s fully expected to play on Sunday night but just be sure to grab Jerrick McKinnon just in case. Stefon Diggs came roaring back into fantasy relevance as well due in large part to Teddy Bridgewater tossing four touchdowns. Two of those went to Diggs although there’s little reason to believe Bridgewater repeats that performance. Diggs is a boom-or-bust WR3 and should continue to be used accordingly.
The Chicago Bears are dealing with an injury scare of their own with Alshon Jeffery leaving the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. It’s still too early to tell the severity of the injury but I could honestly see this going either way. I could see the Bears thinking they have no reason to trot out Alshon Jeffery in a lost season, especially if they intend to use the franchise tag on him. On the flip side, I could see Jeffery wanting to finish the year strong since it is in fact a contract year. Either way, we’ll have to wait and see what the update is later in the week.
Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville Jaguars
It only took an eternity but Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman both finally rediscovered the endzone in a win in Jacksonville. There’s very little reason to even consider benching either player but this was a nice boost in the right direction. I would imagine that Matt Ryan owners have moved on to someone else by now but if you’re looking to depend on him in the championship round, more power to you. I jumped off that derailing train weeks ago.
T.J. Yeldon missed this game for the Jaguars, opening the door for Denard Robinson to have a crack at the starting gig. Unfortunately for Robinson, he too suffered an injury but it is not believed to be all that serious. Denard is far from an automatic start with only Allen Robinson and Julius Thomas falling into that category in Jacksonville. Allen Hurns is fairly touchdown dependent although he certainly has the potential to win you your matchup if he does indeed have a big day in your WR3/flex spot.
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Somehow, someway, Brandon Weeden is going to get another shot as a starter in the NFL. With T.J. Yates tearing his ACL on Sunday, the Texans are going to turn to Weeden in an effort to win themselves the AFC South. Ultimately, this shouldn’t have too much impact on the play of DeAndre Hopkins considering how matchup proof he’s become. Alfred Blue bounced back to the tune of 107 yards on 20 carries, clouding this team’s running back situation once again. I suppose that puts Blue back atop the depth chart although it’s not like he’s a lock for 20 touches again as long as Chris Polk is hanging around. It’s a risky situation that should only be considered if you’re desperate at RB2.
Speaking of backup quarterbacks, Charlie Whitehurst came into the game for the Colts once again yet apparently Matt Hasselbeck is still set to start this coming week. It seems like Hasselbeck is being held together by glue and duct tape right now but I have to believe he’s still better than Whitehurst. I will say that every member of this offense is a big risk at this point. Here’s a crazy little tidbit for you; out of T.Y. Hilton, Mike Evans, Dez Bryant, Jordan Matthews and Alshon Jeffery, only Hilton has a solid shot at finishing in the top-20 among fantasy wide receivers. Currently slotted at WR21 in standard scoring, Hilton’s year hasn’t actually been as bad as it might seem. The entire Colts offense has been disappointing this year but in looking at those names, it could have certainly been worse for Hilton owners.
Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants
In what turned out to be the best game of the week, the New York Giants almost pulled off an insane comeback only to lose in the last two minutes yet again. I’m not going to get into the ridiculousness back-and-forth jabs between Odell Beckham Jr and Josh Norman but I will say that Beckham’s suspension is a major buzzkill for fantasy owners. Both Rueben Randle and Dwayne Harris will see an uptick in targets on Sunday night but I wouldn’t feel that great about using either of them unless I was lacking depth at the position. Sure, the suspension might get overturned after Wednesday’s appeal hearing but it’s looking like it’s going to stick so plan accordingly.
If Cam Newton didn’t lock up the MVP on Sunday I don’t know what on Earth he has to do to secure it. He’s having a phenomenal year that was furthered by another five passing touchdowns with 100 yards rushing to boot. Amazingly, I also think Cam’s done enough to earn himself consideration for next year’s QB1 overall. Ted Ginn was once again the primary beneficiary of Cam’s big day, catching two of those five passing touchdowns. I’m not sure what’s more mind boggling for fantasy owners this year, Ginn or Doug Baldwin. Both guys are on ridiculous streaks that honestly are just pure luck in terms of fantasy. Seriously, if you won or are about to win your fantasy championship because of Ted Ginn or Doug Baldwin, you’re luckier than you are good. But hey, sometimes all you need is luck.
Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots
The biggest story of this game was obviously Marcus Mariota exiting with what is now a season ending injury. In an ironic twist of events, Zach Mettenberger came in and actually did more for Dorial Green-Beckham than Mariota had been doing previously. DGB ended the day with six receptions for 113 yards and has played his way into WR3/flex consideration even in a championship round. I know the idea of Mettenberger throwing to one of your starters isn’t all that exciting but I think Green-Beckham is onto something that is going to make him a huge sleeper heading into 2016.
There isn’t too much to report on the New England side of the ball other than Danny Amendola leaving this game with an injury. His status for week 16 is unclear, as is Julian Edelman’s so look for some updates later in the week. If they’re both ultimately ruled out, look for a solid day from Brandon LaFell and running back James White, the two leading receivers from Sunday’s game. Lastly, the Patriots did what the Patriots always do and rotated in a brand new running back just when things looked clear. Instead of Brandon Bolden leading the team in carries it was Joey Iosefa. Yea, you can safely ignore that development as neither Bolden nor Iosefa have any business in your fantasy lineup at this point.
Buffalo Bills @ Washington Redskins
LeSean McCoy suffered what is now being described as a torn MCL yet the team hasn’t actually ruled him out for the year. With the Bills season now over, I doubt they would bother rushing McCoy back into the lineup so look for a timeshare between Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee. I would prefer Williams over Gillislee but both guys have the potential to be RB2’s even if they’re cutting into each other’s workload. Both have shown big play ability and all it takes is one big run to justify starting them.
It would appear as if the Washington Redskins have finally found their quarterback in Kirk Cousins who tossed another four touchdowns in Sunday’s win. Two of those touchdowns went to tight end Jordan Reed who is having himself an awesome year. That, of course, depends entirely on Reed’s health but as long as he’s on the field he’s locked in as a top five fantasy tight end.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens
Spencer Ware was ultimately ruled active for Kansas City here but was only available in an emergency capacity. Similar to the situation in Buffalo, both Ware and Charcandrick West hold value although I strongly prefer West in this scenario. He’s had a larger portion of the workload since Jamaal Charles went down and seems to be the more reliable of the two given Ware’s recent injury troubles. Other than that, you can keep starting Travis Kelce and Jeremy Maclin with confidence.
As for the Baltimore Ravens, this offense is essentially a massive dumpster fire outside of Kamar Aiken. Aiken had a big day of 128 yards and a score but I honestly can’t imagine depending on him in the playoffs even after this huge outing. Remember, Jimmy Clausen is the team’s current quarterback. No thank you.
Denver Broncos @ Pittsburgh Steelers
If the Panthers/Giants game was the best game of the week, the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos was a very close second. What is there to say about Antonio Brown that hasn’t already been said? He’s an absolute machine that is easily the most matchup proof player in the league. Throw in another 87 yards from Martavis Bryant and a touchdown from Markus Wheaton and you’re looking at the most potent passing offense in the league. Everyone is worth considering starting given the right roster construction.
Brock Osweiller managed to get both Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas heavily involved but it was Sanders who had the massive day with 181 yards and a score. Thomas did have two touchdowns of his own which is reassuring considering how much he’s struggled to find the endzone earlier in the year. It’s unclear which quarterback Denver will decide to roll with between Osweiller and Peyton Manning but I still don’t think it makes much of a difference. Both quarterbacks have been inconsistent so it shouldn’t effect either wide receiver in that regard.
Cleveland Browns @ Seattle Seahawks
Do you own Gary Barnidge? If yes, start him. Do you own any other Cleveland Browns? If yes, do not start them. That is all.
The players you can continue starting, however, are those within the Seattle offense. Russell Wilson continued his spectacular season with another three touchdowns, two of which went to Doug Baldwin. Baldwin has been so frustrating from a fantasy perspective that I don’t even think it’s worth looking at his stats prior to him exploding onto the scene around Thanksgiving. Basically, before late November of 2015, Baldwin was one of the most inconsistent fantasy commodities in the league. Now, he’s a touchdown machine. With Thomas Rawls done for the year, Christine Michael turned out to be the lead back for the Seahawks, racking up 84 yards on 16 carries. I suppose that makes him the back you want to own but I could easily see this being a committee between him and Bryce Brown.
Green Bay Packers @ Oakland Raiders
For as good as the Green Bay Packers have been in terms of NFL football this year they’ve been pretty brutal from a fantasy standpoint. Virtually every player in this offense has been inconsistent at one point or another, Aaron Rodgers included. Obviously you’re never going to bench Rodgers but I find it difficult to rely on any other Green Bay Packer these days. James Starks and Eddie Lacy continue to alternate in terms of who has the better day on the ground while all of team’s receiving options basically need a touchdown in order to salvage their day. In a bizarre turn, I actually think the Packers are going to be one of the most difficult teams to rank in fantasy next year given how sporadic the offense has been lately.
Amari Cooper had himself a huge bounce back day with 120 yards and two touchdowns while Michael Crabtree and Latavius Murray had solid yardage of their own. Chances are you don’t have better options than those three Oakland Raiders and that’s actually okay as they’re all legitimate, viable fantasy contributors. They’re just unlikely to all have big days at the same time but very few teams can actually make that claim anyway.
Miami Dolphins @ San Diego Chargers
When it comes to analyzing Miami’s offensive strategy your guess is as good as mine. At first it was reported that Lamar Miller suffered an injury in this game but then it became apparent that the team just preferred Jay Ajayi in this matchup. Either way, it’s hard to think of a running back who has been more misused in his career than Lamar Miller. My only hope is that he’s offered a strong contract from a team that is willing to commit to him as a feature back in the off season. That would give us two new fantasy starters in both Miller and Ajayi with the latter taking the reigns in Miami.
Melvin Gordon was placed on I.R. after this game, ending one of the most disappointing rookie campaigns in recent memory. It’s possible that we end up seeing a reverse Trent Richardson here with Gordon bouncing back tremendously in his second year but I’ll likely let someone else take that risk. Donald Brown should be the lead back with Gordon out but Antonio Gates is the only Charger you can trust in the playoffs.
Cincinnati Bengals @ San Francisco 49ers
This game might actually be the most fantasy irrelevant of the entire week 15 slate. Honestly the only noteworthy bits of news are the respective injuries to A.J. Green and Shaun Draughn. In fact, the Green injury doesn’t even have any clarity since it appears as if the Bengals might have just decided to rest their star wide receiver once going up big late in the game.
As for Draughn, he suffered a knee injury that’s going to take some time to sort out. If he were to miss any time I don’t think you can start any other San Francisco player even in a desperation situation.
Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday night’s matchup saw an absolute trouncing of the Philadelphia Eagles at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. The star of the show was that of Arizona running back David Johnson who piled up 187 yards and three touchdowns. Remember when the Cardinals were considering offering Chris Johnson a contract extension? Well it certainly appears that talk was premature considering how great David has been since taking over. He’s locked in as a top 10 play at running back and should be a highly sought after keeper/dynasty league commodity in the off season. Passing wise, the Cardinals didn’t really need to do much since Johnson was running all over the place and the defense dominated this game from the start.
The Eagles continue to be impossible to predict offensively with Jordan Matthews exploding for 159 yards and a score on 11 targets. It was Matthews best game of the year yet does anyone actually think that’s repeatable at this stage of the season? The Eagles face a shoddy Washington defense in week 16 so I suppose there’s a chance Matthews could find his way into your lineup just don’t force the issue too much. Now is not the time to tinker even if you’re trying to capitalize on a receiver that seems to be heating up. Other than that, Chip Kelly seems hell bent on sending a message to DeMarco Murray and everyone else who thinks he doesn’t know what he’s doing in regard to personnel. Murray had just two carries for three yards. I’m sure the Eagles’ front office is thrilled that they spent so much money on a guy who can barely find his way onto the field.
