Fantasy Football Weekly Week 11

the Fan has mentioned Am correctly in the opener. My co host Brian Johnson and Matt Harrison. Good morning guys, Good morning boy. Happy to say we've already have three people on holding with the seven o'clock start time. We we think that's fantastic. We will do our very best to get to your calls. I would be sleeping. I would be sleeping probably, I would I would be streaming later. I check out the podcast on the I Heart Radio app or iTunes that all works, cafan dot com Fan

on demand. We always we encourage people to find it. However you can a lot of people went up against and by the way, all the normal stuff that you love about the show take a chance on me. The five Tough questions will break down all the matchups, the

premature speculation, the lightning round. I want to open by addressing people who went up against some combination of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Chris Boswell, and or the Pittsburgh defense, because they all put up gigantic games, and in many cases people played against three of that combination. In some cases those people probably packed it in and aren't even listening right now. If your opponent did that, they are sleeping. They are sleeping. Um Still, what is the recommended course

of action when you find yourself down by a bunch? Now, in the case of Antonio Brown, you're probably going to lose, but you might you know, if you only play one of those, you know you might be able to scrap your way back. What's the recommended course of action when you're down by a bunch? Well, I think when it's the choice between two players, you have to go with the high upside guy. You have to just go for

every home run hitter you can. You don't go for the guy who's gonna get you eight yards and or eight catches and nine yeards. You don't go for Jarvis Landry. You go for a guy who has a chance at three touchdowns later. That's a good example right there. And then there's all the Landry has been scoring touchdowns, has been five of the last six games, so that might not have been the best example over traditionally over the course of his career. That's you're right, that's the guy

you want to avoid. Seven am. The synapses aren't firing, you know, not yet. They The other thing I like to do. I like to put together quarterback wide receiver combos or quarterback tight end combos, so that if that wide receiver hits twice, I also get paid on the quarterback hitting twice. So I try to manufacture that matchup if I can do it as well. Stack as much as possible. Yeah, stack, stack as much as possibly. Throw the kicker into and let's get the extra point on

that play. So you know, that's you know, that's that's the angle I think for a special to go for a defense and a guy. If you have Tyreek kill, of course you're gonna start him. But and you have Kansas City obviously do But that's an example, you know, where you go a turner and the defense you can double up there on points for special teams special teams that yeah, but um a lot all the stuffs, that's

all you gotta do. That's yeah, it's you're gonna need help, But there are you know, there are handful things that you can do. Let's jump right into the matchups, guys. New England takes on Oakland. New England's offense starting to it's starting to all come together, even without Chris Hogan, Danny Am and Dola doing very little. But the New England offense has played very well lately and I don't see a lot here with the Oakland defenses suggests it's

gonna stop. Well, it's worth noting that this game is being played in Mexico City. Not thank you very much. That is absolutely true. By the way, I'm going to make the rare kicker prediction. I believe goscows he's going to kick four field goals in this game. He's got the second most field goals on the year. Oakland gives up the second most field goals on the year, and they're playing in an altitude that's higher than mile high when they're in Mexico City. Gostkowski your ultimate kicker option

this week. So it was interesting to note they played in Mile High the Patriots did last week. Yes, and they stayed in Denver to stay acclimated to the altitude. You know, I had not heard that. So smart. So they they've been out there and they're ready. So I also love legal weed too, That's why they stayed out there. That Belijack has been blazing straight to Mexico for him too. Tom Brady is the conquistador in this game. He gets

the A grade. L Gronk also getting an A grade that the team or the Raiders have allowed four scores and the ninth most catches to tight ends this year. Brandon coasoneros uh. Brandon Cooks he gets an A grad. He was target at a season high eleven times last week against Denver, which was awesome. Cook Straw is a favorable match up against Sean Smith. He's the league sixty four ranked corner according to Pro Football Focus, and we

probably won't see Chris Hogan this week. Senor Amundola has finished with forty or few yards and four consecutive weeks, but Raiders corner T. J. Kerry has a lot of touchdown to a slot receiver in two of the last three weeks. So he gets a C grade. That's a that's a yes grade. Bye, that's a good point. The C grade takes on all new meaning yes in Mexico City, uh Aribau, Rex Burkhead and Dion Lewis are both getting

a B grade. I'm not sure which one of these backs will get the Goose Guavo this week, but the Raiders are giving up the fifth most receptions running backs, the seventh most receiving yards, and are tied for the second most receiving touchdowns. That means Burkheads a easy b uh Burkheads of the snaps this week. Last week, he's my favorite. The Raiders d has allowed the fourth most rushing yards in the league and Dion Lewis is suddenly the guy taking over as the every down running back.

Uh he should be good for fifteen carries as he's averaged the last two weeks, and Lewis took four of the team's red zone carries last week. Let's flip on over to the geez. This is so weird. It's better than the ticking clocks. It is. Let's flip on over to the side the ticking clock owned you. Marshawn Lynch is gonna get a dose Eckys grade, which means he's on the bench. The Pats defense has allowed only two backs to go over seventy four yards. They've given up

just three touchdowns to running back since the opener. New England does allow a league worst five point yards per carry, but Lynch is only averaging eleven carries per game. The passing game, however, Derek coach A he gets an A. Over their last three outings, they have not given up more than two three passing yards the Patriots that is

or one touchdown. But coach A has gone over three hundred yards and each of his last three out Eric o Jmark Cooper is getting a B and Michael Congrejo Our Bowl is also getting a B. The Patriots defense is allowed the second most yards and the third most catches too receivers. Cooper seen more time in the slot in the last three games. His target his target load has gone up to about per game during that stretch,

which is a lot yeah. And then finally, Uh also a co scenaro Jared co scenario, the different kind of cook. Uh his averaging ninety seven yards in his last three games. Going into the matchup with New England. The Patriots haven't allowed a tight end to catch more than two passes the last three weeks, but they were torched for five tight end touchdowns in the first six weeks of the season. So I still like Cook. He gets a B grade

as well. Well done Senior Harrison undelay Trobajoick benigned per Lenard. Yeah, I spoke German in high school too. Very nice Jaguars taking on the Browns and quite the opposite match up here. Uh, I gotta believe there's there's gonna be very little to like about the Brown side. But so let's start with the Jaguar side. Like portals fifty one passes last week, do you think the aerial attack is maybe emphasized here,

especially if Leonard Fournette isn't able to go. Yeah, well, the path of least resistance against Cleveland is through the era. They have a very legit run deep. I'm still putting Bortles on the bench though, even though Cleveland has allowed nineteen touchdown passes, which is the third most in the league.

Bortles has one or zero passing touchdowns in every game but one this year, and the one game he didn't was that London game, which is a little flukey, So I still love them on the bench because I'm not a big fan of his pass catchers. Who will get into here, I'll starting with Mark Eastley, who I have on the bench. Might be surprised to hear that because he is my boy. We go way back, but he's likely to be shadowed by Jason mccordy. Pro Football focuses

number two ranked cornerback. Quarterbacks have an average rating of fifty four point two when throwing into mccordy's coverage. Remember, Tennessee just cut him and like in the preseason, they didn't eat him against Antonio Brown. Certainly not. Yeah, that was a that was a tactical blunder. Uh. It doesn't get much better at wide receiver. Alan Hearns has been ruled out with the knee that brings Keenan Cole into play. I'm sorry healing Cole into play. I'm gonna give him

a desperation. See uh. Cleveland has allowed five wide receiver touchdowns over the last four games, and Cole has averaged fifty plus yards over his last three, with a catch of twenty plus yards in each game. His targets have increased four straight weeks, so he could be a sneaky little uh play this week, as could Marcedes Lewis. Uh if Schmarrick Schmibron got it done. I didn't say his name,

thank you. I do deserve a little peacock here, though, because I did say to play him on fan ball last week, and if he did, he made out all right. Marcedes Lewis. Marcedes Lewis could be another sneaky daily play on fan ball this week. It's just against the Browns. Uh, That's all you really have to say. A great matchup for tight ends. So I'm giving him to see, Yeah, this is the Browns. Were it not for the Giants, we would be talking about how you you deploy every

tight end against against the Browns. Absolutely. Now, what about D D. Westbrook, which I've had a dozen people ask me about this way, he's not a lock to play this week the last time. The last I heard, it sounds like he will be active for the first time, but there's no knowing what the snap count is gonna be, like, what his role is going to be. Like I think you're you're, you're. That's a huge gamble, But don't play him. Don't play him this week Probay a bonus premature speculation there.

And then finally, Leonard for Nett, you mentioned Church. I'll give him a B if he plays with a borderline see Um said. It is a very tough defense. Run defense for for Cleveland ranked number two against the run by Football Outsiders d v o A. Only one running back is top sixty rush sixty rushing yards against cit the Browns. And that was your boy, buck Allan Church. Soh my guy over to Cleveland. This will be quick

the past you leave that side of it. Only defense in the league that is not allowed a one yard rusher or a three yard passer Cleveland Browns. Yeah, and obviously if for Net does sit, Chris Ivory and even Corey Grant becomes so intriguing. But I'm not very compelled to start them in a very tough matchup. But Ivory sea level player for when it does sit. But don't get excited about his prospects. Cleveland passing bench, the passing game,

that's pretty obvious. Even Corey Coleman, who should make his return, you don't want to start him. I'll get I say a crow l as see though, even though since the Jaguars have acquired Marcel Darius. They are average, are allowing under three yards per carry. The run defense wasn't very good before acquiring Darius, but crow Crow is turning back to back games with at least ninety five scrimmage yards

and a touchdown. He's averaging five point seven yards per carry over the last two weeks, and Cleveland is gonna have to try and run the ball to have any hope in this game. And then I'm benching Duke Johnson, though that excuse me. The Jaguars are pretty tough against pass catching running backs and Browns or Duke's not can get enough carries to warrant to start. As we said at the time, all that those touchdowns that Duke Johnson was was manufacturing earlier in the season, that wasn't gonna

keep going. And it hasn't. Nice little player, but he's not a touch down score. Final matchup of this segment, Lions taking on the Bears, will begin with Matthew Stafford. Bears ranked top ten and passing yards allowed and in the top five and passing touchdowns allowed. I don't love this matchup. Stafford barely crossed two hundred yards passing last

time he played in Chicago. Didn't throw any touchdowns in that game, and that marked the second time in the last three seasons that he's failed to throw any touchdowns in Chicago. This has been a tough spot for him, so I'm nervous about Stafford, but he's been so hot. I'm still giving him a B grade here, but he'd be closer to a scene than in a UH Staying with the passing game, Golden take gets a C grade. Despite his one hundred yard game in Green Bay two

weeks ago. He's been bad outdoors. Not one of his seventeen touchdowns since coming to Detroit has come in an outdoor stadium, and in three games in Chicago, he's totaled one hundred yards. That's it gross. Bears have only allowed one yard receiver all season, and that was Antonio Brown in Week three. Golden Tate's good, He's not Antonio Brown good. It goes back to last year, the Bears stifling number one wide receivers. They shut him down. They do UH C grade on on Golden Tate C grade and Marvin

Jones hyper inconsistent. It's it feels like an exploitable match up with Chicago corner Kyle Fuller, who has ranked eighty nine by Pro Football Focus in two games of Chicago last year, though he posted sixty seven yards and seventy four yards, didn't score. I feel like that's about what you're gonna get from Marvin Jones this week. That puts him in the C grade as well. Eric Ebron, I feel like I have to mention because he scored last week. Chicago is an elite tight end defense. Do not chase

last week's flukey touchdown. Kenny Golladay only eleven snaps last week. You can't start him until we start seeing more consistency in playing time. Let's talk about Amerabdula go to the running game suddenly getting gold line touches. Amir Abdula rushing touchdowns in consecutive games. Bears run defense very middle of

the pack their fift in yards allowed. They're averaging ten rushing yards per game, but they're likely without their run stuffing linebacker Danny Trevathan in this game and the return of Detroit's left tackle Taylor Decker definitely helps. Chicago's allowed eight touchdowns via the ground tied for the second most, including three in just the last two weeks. So I like a Mirrorbdullah be grade on a mirrorb dula this week. Let to go to the Chicago side because this won't

take long. There's only one startable player and that's Jordan Howard. Get this. He has not scored a touchdown since Mitch Trobinski took over. None and even John Fox, though, it's gotta know that his team's best chance to win goes through Jordan Howard. So I expect a lot of carries. Chicago's three wins of all cam and games that were big Howard carry games, and Fox's job is dangling by a threat. He has to manufacture wins, and all of his wins comes in games are he pounds Jordan how Ward.

It hasn't happened much, but they haven't won when the Bears have been favored, right, they don't have a win never with John Fox's tenure in Chicago, they're owen six in games in which they've been favored. By the way, they've only been favored six times. As I meant by not happening, I think seven because last week they were favored to um against. You're right, you may be right

that now they're owen seventh. That could be uh Detroit top ten run defense that that hasn't followed, that has not stopped the Lions from giving up ten rushing touchdowns, tied for second most in the league. So I think Jordan Howard does get a touchdown here and finds the end zone again. He um. He did not score against Detroit in his rookie year, but he did rush for almost two hundred yards in the two games against the lines,

the average five yards per carry. He gets an A grade in this game, and you're benching the entire Chicago passing game. Rabinsky has thrown one touchdown in his past three games. He's failed the top one hundred sixty four yards and all but one of his NFL starts. And if you're thinking about looking at don trelle Inman because he's emerging as the go to receiver, yeah, well he gets Darius Slay and he's on the sleigh ride, so he's out to so nobody to go to their whatsoever.

When we come back, nine players you can pick up off of the waiver wire. We call it take a chance on me on Fantasy Football Weekly. When we return. Ye, yes, yeah, we're maintaining our lavor. I love it. You can salta your way to the victory this week with these nine players, many of them are available on the waiver wire. Let's hear who we got for take a chance on me, beginning with our quarterback position and Brian Johnson, I got blame Gabert, who is now on the Arizona Cardinals if

you were wondering they are at Houston. The Texans have allowed a league worst twenty one total touchdowns to quarterbacks. They have also surrendered three yards passing and multiple touchdowns to five of the last seven quarterbacks they have faced. The Texans also allowing five point five yards per carry

to quarterbacks. And Gabett does have some wheels. And I know his resume is not stellar by any means, but please remember that he played for the Jaguars, the Jaguars back in the dark ages and the forty Niners last year who had no weapons whatsoever. He does have Larry Fitzgerald. Now, so Gabritte has a shot on Sunday, all right, Actually I'm kind of with you on that, all right, Matt, This kind of sounds stupid, but I'm gonna take Andy Dalton going against the Denver broncos Man. We only have

two hours. If you're gonna preface all of your statements with this may sound stupid, then if we're look, we're gonna ride anyway. Denver is allowed a touchdown pass in every game this season, and multiple touchdowns to three of the last four quarterbacks they faced. They've also allowed the fourth most touchdown passes in the league this season, but the fourth least amount of receiving yard or passing yardage, So it's likely a low yardage game. But there's a

good chance Dalton throw us two red zone touchdowns. So if you're in a two quarterback league, plug him in. He's gonna get to When we hear more about this matchup, I bet you're gonna tell me, like Tyler Croft, we'll find out I've got it's not it's not a fantasy football weekly season. If I haven't at least once gone to bat for my guy stew Beard. Yes, you mean ste Barba, Stu Barba. He's He's not. He's not playing in Mexico City. I'm just feeling it, right, I can

tell stew Beard. Brian Fitzpatrick has at least one touchdown thrown in each of the three games that he has played in for the Buccaneers. The Dolphins are surrendering the sixth most passing touchdowns and four quarterbacks have thrown multiple touchdowns against them. The wildly inconsistent Cam Newton last week four touchdown passes against the Dolphins. I only need stew Beard to be half as good as new He can do that now. Fitzpatrick's note first turnovers, but the Miami

passing ded has only had three interceptions all season. That's brutal, So maybe it doesn't even hurt you with any negatives here Stu Beard against Miami. Let's go to the running back position, Brian, I have Seattle's J. D. Mckissic at home against the Falcons. Mckissic is the clear cut pass catching back with C. J. Pro Stice back on I R, but he also appeared to take over is they featured back in the second half last week when Thomas rowlves only got one carry in the game that was still

very much in question. Mckissic looked good, average more than five yards per touch on nine touches in Atlanta. It's all about the pass catching here though. For mckissic. Atlanta allows over six catches over eight targets per game to running back, So Mkissic is a nice of the lad agreed. I've got Austin Ekeler, and this is all about the

Bill's defense just being terrible since Marcel Darius left. They're averaging over six yards per carry in those two games and giving up four seventy five rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in those twos. Unbelievable. It's it's insane. Ekeler had a season high fifteen touches last week. His snap percentage has gone up every week from the last in the last four weeks, from eleven percent to thirty three

percent last week. And Melvin Gordon has been pretty inefficient, to say the least over the last couple of weeks. He's also battling knee and foot issues, so they could spell Gordon a little bit, give Eckler a little bit more time on the field. Kenyan Drake goes up against Tampa Bay and he's looked far better than Damian Williams. They say that they're going to do it continue and almost even time share, but you know, even if they do, Drake has been pretty good even in the time share.

But I think in the reality and sooner or later, the cream rises to the top team. Coaches want to win their games, and they put their best guy in the field, and that's gonna be Kenyan Drake. He goes up against a Bucks defense that's allowed one hundred plus yards to opposing running backs in four of the last six games. Let's go to the wide receiver position and and or tight end of position. You could do either one, Bryan, I usually go tight end, but I'm gonna go wide

receiver this week. Houston's Bruce Ellington at home versus Arizona. More specifically, Ellington's at home versus not Patrick Peterson coverage who he will likely or surely shadow DeAndre Hopkins in this game. Seven will be ten wide receiver touchdowns allowed by Arizona have come from number two wide receivers. Ellington stepped up last week with Will Fuller banged up. Will like the MRS game as well, caught four passes for forty one yards on eight targets. So I'm like an Ellington. Okay.

It wouldn't be a fantasy football weekly if Charched didn't have Stu Beard, and it wouldn't be a fantasy football weekly if I didn't pick on the Giants defense versus a tight end. But Travis Kelsey is too easy. It is too easy. So let's go Demetrius Harris tight end against the Giants. I like the Giants have allowed top five totals in targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns to tight ends. They've allowed at least one tight end touchdown in every

game dating back to Week seventeen of last year. There's enough for everybody to go around in this game. Demetrius Harris is gonna starre touchdown. It's gonna be great. What we talked on the podcast this day on Fanball, you can play three tight ends. You might play boys will play all three tight ends from our final take chance to be player is former Minnesota Viking now Raven Mike Wallace. Healthy for the first time and well basically all year uh running most of his place from the left side

of the field. He's got a very winnable matchup against Green based corner Devon House, who ranks as cornerback by Pro Football Focus. Packers secondary can be beaten a wide variety of ways, but downfield speed guys in particular hammering them. Josh Bellamy got loose deep for a touchdown against the Packers last week. Week before that, the speedy Marvin Jones hundred seven yards in two touchdowns. Week before that, Ted Gin hundred forty one yards. Speed guys burn the Packers.

We know all about Mike Wallace. He's just cheap speed. Let's see if that can all come together. We'll take a break when we come back. More matchups, including Chiefs versus the Giants. Are there any Chiefs to play other than their three tight ends? Find out when we come back. Fantaist see Football Weekly on the Fan. Welcome back to the show. It is Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan. Paul Charchi and Brian Johnson and Matt Harrison with you. Matt.

Let's dive right into your matchup. Chiefs take on the Giants. We know we love all of our tight ends. It's the matchup of a millennia for Travis Kelsey. He could live. He's on pace for potentially a Hall of Fame career. He could play ten more years from now, get enshrined in Canton. He will never ever have a game that looks better on paper with higher expectations going into a

game than Travis Kelsey has for this one. Yeah, he's uh the top receiver on fanball this week to the top the most expensive, most expensive receiver on and it makes sense. Yeah, um, you can start Travis Kelsey, obviously, you can start Demetrius Harris. Frankly, you can start Ross Travis the third string tight end. We've got two targets last week. How about this, Let's pull Tony Gonzalez out of retirement and maybe Keith Cash and Walter White start

them to Tyree Hill. He gets an A grade. The Giants last two games, they've allowed twenty three yards to per reception to rams wide receivers and twenty six yards per catch to forty wide receivers. And that's three yards and three touchdowns on just sixteen completions, and Tyree Hill averages twenty two point seven yards per catch, So he's an easy A grade. Alex Smith getting an A grade.

Giants defense has allowed nine passing scores in the last three games and uh multiple touchdown efforts in every road game this year for Alex Smith, so he gets the A. Kareem Hunt I'm getting in the bounce back game. I'm making him a time no shot, Yeah, sorry, go ahead, no Sean moreno moreno never mind, just keep going, Just ignore me. Hunt, it's no Snacks Harrison. That's what I was trying to go with. I was waiting. There was

not even close. No Snacks Harrison. Who's the run stuffing the run stuffing lineman for the Giants in this game? And that's gonna make things a lot easier in Kareem Hunt. Yeah, Hunt hasn't hasn't done well. Really, he hasn't seen the end zone since week three and and he's it's been held under a hundred yards since Week seven. But he did lock twenty two and twenty five touches over the

last two games. In the Giants defense is ranking twenty eight and rushing yards per game four different running backs have topped fifty yards and they've given up three running back touchdowns in the last two games. So everybody's an A on Kansas City. Let's go over to the Giant side where I do have some starters. Orleans dark Well gets a C grade. He's averaging five point one yards per carry. He's had seventeen touches per week over the

last four weeks. The Chiefs run defen ranks dead last in d v O A, so this is kind of only see. I think he's more like a B, don't you. I mean, you're talking about a five yard per carry guy against the dead last run defense and just worried that the game flow manages him out of it and then he can only get get maybe fifteen carries in this I was just gonna say, you should have called

them Kansas City. What you gave him all took me a while, Eli Manning, I'm giving a B. The Chiefs ranked twenty eight and passing yards allowed, and since the open or five different quarterbacks have thrown multiple touchdowns. They've also allowed twenty seven or more points than seven of their last eight away games. So he gets to be sterling Shepherd. He's a B, maybe even close to an A. He's coming off a season high thirteen targets last week.

He gets a great matchup against Pro Football Focus is lowest rated cornerback Philip Gaines, and the other corner that rotates into the slot, who's Stephen Nelson. Got beat for both of Cole Beasley's touchdowns before the I, so Shepard won't see Marcus Peters at all. He's got a B too, and a grade I got him a strong. He's my number nine wide receiver this week. I love Sterling Shepherd, Well, thank you, um Evan Ingraham, I'm giving a C grade two.

He's had touchdowns in four straight games. That could be in jeopardy this week against the Chiefs, who have only allowed one tight end touchdown all season, But they did allow Jared Cook to top a hundred yards just two weeks ago. So I still got Evan Ingraham as a CEE. He's the second best pass catcher that they have. This week. Agreed, Cardinals take on the Texans. Brian uh, It's been hot and cold games for Adrian Peterson. Is this the explosively

good or explosively bad game for Adrian? We might be looking at a replica of his twenty one kerry twenty nine yard performance against Seattle last week. This matchup against the Texans is almost equally as tough for um A p. Houston ranks sixth against the run by Football Outsiders, and the Texans have allowed just one rushing touchdown all year, and that was the Wonard four net in Week one. So Peterson gets a C this week over the passing game.

I love Larry Fitzgerald's gonna give him an a Houston slot corner. Cream Jackson has allowed the most yards and slot coverage despite being twenty in cover snaps. That means he gives up big plays. Uh. He also owns a hundred twenty nine point five quarterback raining rating when thrown into his coverage, So you gotta like fits who has seen plenty of volume even without Carson. Palmer has twenty

twenty three targets over the last two weeks. UM. Now to the other receivers, it's a great matchup on paper. The Texans have allowed back to back a hundred and seventy yard receivers and four one hundred yard receivers in the last three weeks, so I don't let's break him down. Starting with John Brown very questionable with a back injury this week. I had him on the bench for that reason. He can't be trusted. Geron Brown is really the play here, man.

I hate talking about John Brown and jern Brown. I need nothing worse. Geron Brown is the play here, especially if John Brown is ruled out. Geron averages twice as many targets without John, so he gets the sea here and I'm benching J. J. Nelson hasn't topped to catch is or forty yards since Week five. Another pass catcher. That's I'm liking Mori's Jermaine Gresham. I'm gonna give him a CE. Over the last two weeks, Gresham leads all tight ends and red zone targets with five and has

scored in back to back games. The Texans are one of six teams that have allowed at least fifty receptions to tight ends this year. Uh. Blaine gabrat Was might take a chance on the quarterback, and that is it for Arizona going over to Houston. DeAndre Hopkins just to be here usually an auto a, but he will draw Pat Pete, who has allowed just twelve catches all season. That's one catch per every thirty cover snapsack. So Hopkins can still get it done, but it's gonna be a tough, tough,

tough day for him. Uh. For that reason, Bruce Ellen to who's might take a chance to me? Wide receiver number two is I've had a lot of success against the Cardinals. I also like c. J. Fedorowitz. I gonna give him a C. He's averaging nearly eight targets in the three and a half games with Tom Savage at quarterback, and the Cardinals are allowing about five catches and fifty yards per game to tight ends. That's double digit PPR points,

So that's a C grade for me. I am not starting Tom Savage though I'm not snapping into the slim Jim. I won't do the impersonation. Don't want he's on the bench. Even though I do think there's potential for his pass catchers, They're not all going to have a good game in this one, and Lamar Miller probably not gonna have a good game either. Was averaging nineteen and a half touches per game until the last two games. He's down to twelve and a half touches over that span in Arizona.

Tough matchup. Ranked ninth against the run by Football Outsider. Yeah, he was a guy that was best suited when there was a quarterback to take some heat off him, and Lamar Miller is not that guy. Vikings take on the Rams. Let's talk about the ram side of this first. Todd Gurley straight up awesome this year, but that's been in no small part because of his pass catching prowess. But the Vikings can stop him both ways, on the ground

and via the air. Vikings defense ranks number two in rushing yards per carry at only three point for their number three and rushing yards allowed at only seventy two, and the Vikings has seen a steady diet of elite pass catching backs, none of them have done anything. So I think this is a tough match for Todd Gurley with the one catch, I don't think. I don't think

enders Todejo is gonna go. And we have seen some lapses from the Vikings run defense in games when Sendejo doesn't go, So that is the one asteris on what is otherwise a B grade for Todd Gurley. If Sandeo doesn't go, you could probably move him up to and eight grade. Let's go to the passing game where Jared Goff just gets a sea here. He's been great in four games with three hundred passing yards. Those four games we're against bottom six pass defenses, and that's not the Vikings.

Vikings are top ten and passing yards allowed, they're averaging just one passing touchdown per game, and they haven't allowed multiple passing touchdowns in a game since way back in Week three. Four of the prior five Vikings opposing quarterbacks failed to even throw it for two hundred ten yards. So I don't like golf, and part of the reason I like him is not like his matchups for his receivers.

Robert Woods very likely is going to end up getting Xavier Roads in this one, and Xavier Rhads might be the best shutdown corner in the NFL right now. He has meant the statistical death of virtually every opposing receiver. I don't like Robert Woods much at all, but I'm giving him a C grade just based on how good

he's been the last few weeks. Sammy Watkins probably gets inferior coverage from Trey Wayne's, but frankly, Trey Waynes has gotten a lot better over the course of this season, and the Vikings has only given up six wide receiver touchdowns all year, and only one wide out his top sixty yards since Week three. So I don't even love Sammy Watkins here, just a C grade for him. Cooper Cups on the bench, He's second on the team and targets.

He's second in the NFL in red zone targets, which is good, but it doesn't translate into fantasy points because he scored only one time in the last five weeks. The Vikings have only allowed one slot receiver over thirty yards over the past six weeks, and they've shut down guys like Golden Tate and Randall Cobb and Juju Smith Schuster. Who are I think we're all at least as good as Cooper Cup. Let's go to the Viking side. Start with the running game. I've got S grades on Jerick

McKinnon and Latavia's Murray here. Um. Now, the Rams do rank twenty nine and rushing yards allowed, which is great news. The bulk that has come against excuse me, straight ahead power rushers like Carlos Hyde and Zeke and Leonard four Nette. That's not Jerk McKinnon's kind of game. He's not a straight ahead power rusher, so maybe that means they're gonna get more of the mundane stylings of Loatavius Murray, who's

averaging eighteen carries in his last three weeks. McKinnon is still averaging fourteen carries though five targets the last five weeks, so he gets his chances as well. If um, the matchup is well suited for them, but because they split everything pretty much down the middle, they both get C grades here, and that is it. Let's go to the passing game case Keenum gets a C grade in this one. Um,

I'm cautious about his receivers. In fact, let me start with the receivers so that will help better explain why we've got to see in case, Adam Theeland is the only player in the league's at least five receptions in every game. But he goes up against ram slot corner Nicol Roby Coleman, who's allowed two touchdowns. The slot receivers all season they held in check Jamison Crowder and Doug

Baldwin and Alan Hearns and Larry Fitzgerald. Only Sterling Shepherd has broken the fifty yard mark from the slot against Roby Coleman all year. I think we owe him an apology. I think we used to rag on him. There's ironically named well and he just wasn't very good, but he certainly has better. Not definitely funny what Wade Phillips will do for a career. Wasn't just Roby before? Maybe I don't know, Maybe he added a last name, maybe helped

him out. Maybe he married a fine woman with the last name of Coleman and decided to take her name

and hyphenate. Could not rule that out. Uh so, uh, Robie Coleman is a little He's a little on the slow side, and Adam Finland's game is all about burst and quickness, so he does have an opportunity here, and I still have be grade out him all right, Diggs Converging trends for Stefon Diggs, He's been awesome in the three home games yards hundred seventy three yards and ninety yards in the three he's played, um to two and zero touchdowns in those three games, but he draws excellent

cornerback Trumaine Johnson on the left side of the defense, where he most often lines up, and fanball writer John Hollerd notes that Johnson has given up no touchdowns and an average of three catches per game. That's it so, and Diggs runs two thirds of his routes on his side of the field, So I've only got a C grade on Stefan Digs here. C grade. And Kyle Rudolph, who has caught at least five passes in five straight games, but hasn't gone over forty seven yards during that span,

and he's not scoring. He's unlikely to start stretching the field against the Rams, who have shut down the likes of Jimmy Graham and Jordan Reed and Jason Witten here. So just to see grade on Kyle Rudolph's That lastly brings us to case Keenum with another C grade. That's the overwhelming grade I've got on his receiving options. I'm I'm hesitant to give a strong recommendation here they've got. The Rams have posted twenty eight sacks on the season, which is a lot, but case Keenum has only been

zack five times, which is amazing. The Rams secondary is tough to Only three quarterbacks have thrown for more than two d twenty five yards against a the ninth ranked pass defense. Of the Rams, six quarterbacks have thrown zero or one touchdown pass and that is usually what you get in case Keen in most games, zero one touchdown pass. I am not chasing last week's four touchdown performance. Let's see if we can work in a phone caller too, Aaron Hello, Hello, Hi Aaron, Hey, how is it going good?

Thanks your patience. I appreciate it. A couple of questions here. First one, quarterbacks, would you play car or Wilson this weekend? That's a that's a tough, tough call, and on paper, New England looks like the easier to match up, but that defense is starting to turn things around a little bit. I just Patriots a past defense over the last five weeks is tenth best in the NFL. So there's If you look at the season long rankings, they still look like they're dead last, but if you shorten it to

the last ten weeks, they're actually quite good. Yeah, and uh, we'll talk about this game later, but I think it's fixing to be a shootout, and I think Wilson will be Uh. It was these teams met last year and it was a shootout, so I'm expecting to repeat performance. So I'll go with the dual threat quarterback here and say Wilson all right, and then run backs Birkhead, Abdullah or Collins from Baltimore. I still don't trust anything in the New England backfield when you think you have it pegged.

And that's Birkhead this week, it Belichick flip flops on you. I'm gonna go with Abdulla, who charge to give a feed right on? I'm gonna go. I'm gonna agree with charge there and all right on Wood's Cooper or Sanders. I know what you said, Woods, is probably gonna get Roads closed. So it's for sure Cooper and Sanders. That's Emmanuel Sanders. Yeah, guessing, yeah, I would go in Manuel Sanders. I will get the most volume. I would think not a great matchup. For you gave Sander's a starting grade.

I got him as a C. It's not a great matchup, but I would still I like his chances better than any Rams receiver this week. Yeah, I from the Vikings. Yeah, thank you Aaron from the Vikings. I think we just set his whole lineup. If from the Vikings, I shot down Robert Woods, and I take my chances of Sammy Watkins. Ben, Hello, thank you for your patients almost an hour on hold him. Good morning guys. Let me do something really quick. Would you trade and try to trade Robert Woods for tree

kill at all? Yeah, that's that's easy. Yes, absolutely, Uh, he's hot right now, and you you trade a guy while he's at his peak value. And I think Robert Woods is at his peak value right now, and your two cents medically standing, let's do Ryan or Hogan and Patriots. I'm trying to think of should I drop the guy to get Chargers defense. I have Seattle. I like Hogan quite a bit when he when he does return, and

I think he's getting closer and closer. I'm not a real doctor, but I have consulted online doctors and I believe he will be back in a few weeks. Okay, thanks, Thanks Ben, We'll take a break when we come back. Five hot questions for you to ponder, perhaps over a slice of Devanni's our sponsor for the five huff Hot question segment. Can you go five and oh play along with us when we come back. You're distinctive Fantasy Football

Weekly on the Fan. Welcome back to the show. A couple of notes for you before we get into five hot questions. Many thanks to our decade long sponsored grain Belt Premium, the official beer of Fantasy Football. Don't forget to play the free crush charts challenge grain Belt dot Com. As always, many thanks to the to the brewery for all their support, particularly Sean Ryan Lee Wendinger, along with

the owners Ted and Jody Marty. And many thanks to Dave Wilson, manager at Manny Steakhouse where we get to have our winters banquet in January. That's not that far from now. Can't wait. One of the highlights of my year meeting up with all the winners at Mannie Steakhouse. It's been lobbying for this for years that the rest of the Fantasy Football Weekly guys should come meet steak at Manny's because they probably want to meet Brian and I as well. Well, yeah, what's not to like? I mean,

you guys have notable local celebrities as well. Yeah, absolutely absolutely, you know we'll be there. Dan Giuliano is going to be there, Dan Dan Giuliano will Dan absolutely really but Week ten winner Dan Giuliano will be there, and that that'll be an exciting moment for all of us. We get a list of all the winners, so Matt and I can start a petition and have them sign it. But now Dan Giuliano, they can bring a guest. They have the option to bring guest. Is our angle to

Dan Giuliano any of the Charts Challenge winners? That's right, find find me Twitter explosive out putting Brian's at bt x J. That's right, we will be your dates for sure. Hot question number one, who is the best way for wire quarterback for the playoff run? Now, let me explain playoff run and waiver wire playoff run his week's fourteen, fifteen sixteen. If you play in week seventeen, you're doing it wrong and you're not gonna get support from the show.

If and by waiver wire, this guy's got to be available in half of my fantasy league leagues. So again question number one, who is the best waiver wire quarterback for the playoffs? Brian, I'm going deep here and I'm gonna go Uh. Denver's Paxton Lynch, who won't be starting this week, but he is inching closer to starting, and uh starting week twelve. He has a great schedule. It's at Oakland in week twelve. I'm sorry, we're going only week fourteen. Week fourteen is the Jets and then at

Indie and then at Washington. Those are all neutral, if not plus matchups. Or Lynch who is very mobile or was in college, so he has some excitement there. And hey, he's got two great receivers into Mary's Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. So I do think he will start by the playoffs for sure, and he does have some entasting matchup. Yeah, I've got Blake Bortles. Yeah, Blake Bortles right there. Huh. Fantasy playoffs against Houston, San Francisco, and Tennessee, all three

of which are bottom ten past defense. As we just saw Tennessee get lit up on Thursday Night. Dude through fifty one times last week. And it's worth noting that Blake Bortles has never once lost a playoff game or a Super Bowl. Sounds like there was more to that has never lost a Super Bowl. Blake portals very nice.

The correct answer is Jake Cutler owned and only of leagues very improved, averaging two and a quarter touchdowns per game over his last month of play and his two main targets Jervis Landry Davante Parker healthy now and three favorable matchups in the playoffs. New England currently the bottom ranked past defense on the season. Buffalo the defense that's getting worse by the week. They recently gave up three straight three yard passing games, and Kansas City they ranked

past defense on the season. Correct answer, Jay Cutler. Question number two, who is the best waiver wire running back for the playoffs? This was the hardest one. Oh, by the way, let me mention this, do you think you're gonna end up starting Jay Cutler? Well, hopefully not, but you know if you're added to the playoffs, anything bad could happen to your quarterback, and now you you need

somebody serviceable. If you're powering your way into the playoffs, you want to make sure that whatever starter is getting you there. If anything happens that guy, you've got a backup. Or maybe that guy runs into the Jaguars in the playoffs, You've got somebody else you can scramble to. That's why we do this exercise. Who is the best waiver wire

running back for the playoffs? Matt, I have Kenyan Drake like Like you said, the schedule for the Dolphins is very favorable in the playoffs, New England, Buffalo, Kansas City. And if your league go goes to Week seventeen, which we don't recommend, they get Buffalo again. So that's just fun times. Uh. Seven catches for eight two yards in a touchdown or seven runs for a t yards and touchdown last week, fifteen total touches and a hundred and four yards the week before. He looks like the best

runner there. And that offense is really flowing a lot better since ja ja I left and Kenyan Drake showed up. Uh, he was my mature speculation last week on to go with Houston's Danta Foreman, who um his carry's have been going up in the last few games seen double digit carries as Lamara Miller's touches are going down. Foreman's basically a Miller injury away from being a fantasy factor. And uh,

Miller got hurt last year. And starting in week fourteen, he has San Francisco that could be a that could be a very good matchup performan if you gets significant touches. And then in week fifteen he has Jacksonville. In week sixteen he has Pittsburgh. Those aren't great matchups, but those are certainly matchups where the Texans will be forced to run more than they aren't to pass. So I will go to Anta Foreman. Uh yeah, I like the duck anta Foreman angle as well, But that is not the

correct answer. The correct answer is DeVante Booker. By the playoffs, Denver is gonna buy the playoffs. Denver will be out of the real life playoff hunt by the time the fantasy playoffs roll around. In it they that could be too. They may well want to give their rookie runner a long look to see if he's the answer for next year or not, and they they face a bunch of mediocre run defenses in the playoffs. The Jets, the Colts, and the Redskins all teams that are just sort of

middle to pack run defenses. They all give up four or four point one yards per carry. DeVante Booker owned in of Fantasy league. See, I think Kenyan Drake is not even in I. I gotta believe Kenyan Drake's owned by way more than half of Fantasy league. So I don't think he's even eligible for this. Because if you were, I think I would have taken Kenyan Drake. But I don't think he's eligible. Zanki's rostered everywhere at this point. Devanny's hot question number three, Who is the best waiver

wire wide receiver for the playoffs? Brian real Quick. Booker isn't really eligible either because he was my premature speculation a few weeks ago. So they all are listeners already have already, but he is. He is forty nine and change percent owned in my Fantasy league leagues. All right, wide receiver. Yeah, let's go to my New York Giants and to Varus, you weren't doing your savage thing this week? That was that wasn't That was awfully savage right there. Savage. Yeah,

uh no, that's like the stomaching. I'm not trying to, you know, up chuck here when I talk about the Giants. But anyway, Tavarus King clearly as the clear cut number two receiver for the Giants. Opposing defenses will focus on Sterling Shepherd and Evan Ingram most likely. I'm gonna throw in a bonus Week thirteen matchup at Oakland, one of the sorry secondaries in the NFL. But in Week fourteen

it goes Dallas Philly than at Arizona. Uh Patrick Peterson will certainly be on Sterling Shepherd in that Arizona matchup. So I let's go to Varus King because he is the second wide receiver on that team. Okay, I've got Mark Tavis Bryant because he's been just dropped outright in a lot of different places. And I didn't check the ownership percentage on you sprung this ownership per edge on me like late in this five tough questions things. So

I got Martevis Bryant. He gets Baltimore, New England, and Houston in the last three weeks, New England and Houston are super plus matchups for for the Steelers, and frankly Martevis, Bryant's gotta get his head together and gotta get back in good graces with the Steelers coaching staff because this is really his maybe last shot in the league. He's

already been suspended for a full season. He's got to get back in good graces so he can go into the playoffs and and be a difference maker for the Steelers. Correct answer is markis Goodwin owned and only forty three percent of leagues he will be. Now if if part of Brian's rationality he liked the number two receiver that you can go get, how about a number one receiver for a team. Now, granted it's not a good offense, but by the time the fantasy playoffs roll around, who's

his quarterback going to be? Jimmy Garoppolo. That will be a massive upgrade quarterback. The first two weeks of the playoffs are delicious, Houston ranking twenty and passing yards allowed to receivers in passing touchdowns allowed to receivers. Tennessee is the week after that. No team has allowed more wide receivers scores than the Tennessee Titans. For those first two weeks, Marquis Goodwin genuinely startable and you watched they'll be he'll be take a chance on me guy. In those weeks.

His nickname is Marquise to the Castle, by the Way to the Castle. It was also a premature speculation of mine a few weeks before Davante Booker, should Fantasy owners drop James White? Matt So in the last three weeks, his touch counts have gone from nine to seven to five. His snap percentage has gone from thirty one to twenty three to sixteen. That's all since Rex Burkhead came back.

Rex Burkhead took over that job. And really, if you're playing fantasy, it's best not to have Patriots running backs and try to deal with that scenario Tony given time. So, yeah, I think you can dropped James White. Okay, that's where I was leaning. But well, obviously non PPR leagues, you can drop James Waite. He's totally worthless there. But in PPR I'm holding he's always always The overarching always assumption

for the show is half point PPR. So every listener knows that, well, you should, but time clarifying every now and again we do that, okay, Anyway, he is a lot for four to five catches the game. Still, I think even with burke Head back in the mix, White is second among running backs and red zone targets, and over the last four weeks, Waite has seen more than of New England's red zone targets. That is a healthy share.

So that's something I can't give up. I'm not saying you have to start him every week, but I am still holding onto James Waite. Correct answer is we're gonna kick him to the curb. He has scored in two of the last three weeks, but James White touchdowns are, let's face it, very flukey. And to Matt's point, he's down to five and a half touches per game over the last two weeks. Find you just can't be fantasy relevant on five and a half touches per aime Lewis

is a better runner. Burkeheads a better runner for sure, um and the schedule only as one opponent in the bottom third. I went back. I went looked at the entire rest of the New England Patriots schedule against running backs through the air, and they only have one compelling matchup left this season For the rest of the way, and it's Oakland and it's Sunday. So if you don't play him here at Oakland, you're never gonna start. James White cue the Mariatchi music. Yeah, we should have exactly,

We just referenced it. Yes, so we will drop James. Watch Hot question number five, which is the real Leonard Fournette, the consistent workhorse we saw in the first portion of the season or the flaky, injured and suspended version we've seen in the last month. Brian, Uh, I don't know if you recall about five or six weeks ago, you asked a hot question about Leo Fournette if you could

sustain his ridiculous touchdown pre game pace. Back then, I was a little worried about his durability and I said no, because at that point in the season he was on pace for three plus carries. In his last year at l s U, we only had a hundred and twenty nine carries, So I was worried he you would hit the wall. He kind of has injury wise, with this ankle issue that won't go away, and now he appears to be a bit of a knucklehead breaking all these

team rules. So right now, the real Leonard Fournett is the injured flakey version. I don't hopefully he's not that in the long term, but right now, people who just care about this year, so I will say injured slash flakey. Okay, yeah, Brian hit all of my salient points there. It just looks bad because of how Foreignet is already on the injury report again this week. I don't want to deal with it right now. Letting Fournet has been a workhorse back throughout his time at l s U. He's a

free kish talent. We've already seen it. He's a three down back. We've seen that high first round pick. Those guys get every benefit of the doubt to stay on the field even when they do dumb stuff. He's a young kid who will probably not make the same mistakes that he's making now, in part because he's getting the discipline that he deserves. He is. He's in the middle of an utterly Monday an ankle injury that we will

never remember. In a couple of weeks, he will be a top five ranked running back in everybody's preseason rankings next year, and we will never remember this bump in the road. Bonus question the rare six hot question from email or Tony who wants to know Tar tar Nowski? Who wants to know where is in the zone? Because this show sucks. Mattuh Gophers having a eleven AM start today, which means we go early, change the station, bro Bills take on the Chargers. Bills take out the Chargers. Matt

and for the Bills, Leshawn McCoy. Awesome games, terrible games. You don't always know when they're coming. But this is a Charger's run defense that's been pretty bad for most of the year. What do you think about Lashawn McCoy this week? So I gave him a B grade. He's one of just five players averaging at least twenty two touches per game. Unfortunately, he's only averaging two points sven yards per carry on the road, and the Charger defense has allowed just one rushing touchdown and one one yard

rusher in the last five weeks. And a lot of that coincides with Denzel Perriman, who came back from I R. He's a good run stuffer. Uh. The Chargers held the Jaguars running backs to twenty one carries for forty five yards when you exclude Corey Grant's fifty two yard fake punt gain. So it was it was it was two yards per carry last week. So uh, that's why he gets knocked down to a B. The the load of

carries is still going to be there though. The passing game, on the other hand, Uh, everything changed because Nathan Peterman is now the starter. He and the rest of the passing game, including Calvin Benjamin, Jordan Matthews, and Charles Clay are on the bench. The Chargers have the number six d v O A pass rated defense and they ranked second in the NFL and sacks with twenty nine. Peterman is going to be under durest this whole game. Calvin

Benjamin also has to deal with Casey Hayward. Chargers defense has only allowed opposing receivers to score one touchdown in their last three games, and they've only allowed one touchdown to opposing tight ends all year, yet to allow a hundred yards of the position. So Clays on the bench too. Over on the San Diego it's not San Diego anymore, it's Los Angeles the Chargers side. Uh, Melvin Gordon's getting an a. New Orleans has twenty four straight second half.

New Orleans last week had twenty four straight second half rush running plans. They scored six touchdowns on the ground against the Bills last week, and I mentioned a lot of the Marcel Darius stats when I when I talked about Austin Eckler, who might take a chance on me runner. That's why Melvin Gordon's getting in a There's enough to go around here. The passing game, however, it's not as

easy Philip Rivers is getting to see. The Bills have only allowed one multiple touchdown game, and the rush defense is just so bad that nobody's throwing on them at all. Cam Newton, Derek Carr, and Drew Brees combined for one touchdown pass against the Bills. They don't need to They don't need to throw. That's why Keenan Allen's only getting a c He's had with just one fifty yard showing in the last four weeks. Hasn't scored a touchdown since

Week one. The Bills have allowed just four receiving touchdowns all year, but they've given up a couple of big games to wide receivers A J. Green, Michael Thomas, de Marius Thomas, and Mike Evans all had great games. That's why Allen's frankly not on the bench right here, and he's still getting a C. Hunter Henry is on the bench though. Two targets in consecutive games so frustrating, and the matchups just not there. So Hunter Henry's on the bench.

It's so hard to know when the Hunter Henry good game is coming, very difficult to decide for that fucking Here's take on the Dolphins, Brian I I had Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stu Beard has might take a chance and the quarterback he gets Mike Evans back. What do you think of their elements of the passing game here? Like DeShawn Jackson, Yeah, Evans will give him an easy he's pretty angry too, so I kind of like that factor. Deshaun Jackson, though,

still is a boomer bus candidate. Give him a C grade with a potential though, that's boomer bust right there right. Miamis allowed seven wide receiver touch hounds in their last five games. Hey, if Johnny Holton and Marvin Hall can score on Miami, why not Deshan jockson Johnson Jackson? Uh, can you guess what teams Johnny Holton and Marvin Hall play for by the way, no question seven Oakland in Atlanta.

There you go. We all learned something today. Ms Jockson already miss Jockson Cameron break and give him a c to uh just one catch in each of his last few games. But my Miami has allowed these second most catches and tenth most yards to tight ends. I cannot talk today. And Matt you did you did? Didn't you have some great great stat last week? When McCown throws the tight ends, he's like better than Uncle Rico throwing that football over the mountain. It was it was Fitzpatrick

throwing too tight ends. He had just this insane look. Uh hopefully propefully does that break and charges take a chance on the quarterback. Was Fitzpatrick, as he said, I'll give over the running game. Give Doug Martin to be averaging a solid fifteen and a half carries per game. Not posting great numbers, but that's kind of auto start volume for me. Muscle hamster has gone catchless and each of the last two games he's been a bad Hamster

in that regard. But the good news is at Miami's bottom ten in rushing yards allowed and has given up the third most rushing touchdown, so Martin is startable over to Miami chart. You're gonna hate this, but I'm giving Jarvis Landry and a plus in PPR and an A minus and standard a lot. Now this is justified. You can't go the plus and minus park in PPR. You can't because Landry, aside from Antonio Brown, already played this week, so he has an extra game. And actually Andry has

two less games in Brown. But Landry's first and catches among wide receivers thirty third in yards. That's hard to think about, and you should see the players above him. It's pretty ugly, but he has touchdowns in five of six and uh five of his last six, and Tampa is just getting shredded by wide receivers. That's why I'm also giving Davante Parker and a The Bucks have surrendered at least one wide received wide receiver touchdown in seven

of nine games. And Parker is very consistent when healthy, as he pretty much is right now and has a very high ceiling. Kenny Stills, I didn't give him a CEE basically a bonus take a chance on me player averaging nearly eight targets per game over the last four has at least five catches and sixty five yards and three of those four games, and there have been six secondary outside wide receivers who have at least ninety five yards or score a touchdown against Tampa Bay this year.

So Stills is startable. Julius Thomas, she's just barely out of ce territory for me. Has scored in back to back weeks, but just two catches last week. Opposing tight ends are averaging less than four catches and forty five yards per game against the Bucks, so I have Thomas on the bench. Jay Cutler is startable, though he gets a C. Does certainly as be potential in this matchup,

averaging two plus touchdowns over his last four starts. Tampa Bay has given up at least two hundred sixty passing yards and one touchdown in eight of nine games this year. That's probably a safe floor for Cutler and Damian Williams. I will give a C because he's technically of the starter. Has seen ten plus touches and two games post j j I E, but has been far less productive than Kenyan Drake. You're take a chance to be running back charge.

I agree, he is much better play all right. When we come back, we'll continue with our matchups, including Redskins at the Saints. Any of you picked up Soma J. P Ryan, will you start him right off the back this week? We'll tell you when we come back. Your distinct of Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan, Welcome back to the show is Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan.

They get a segment filled with matchups coming right now, but next segment premature Speculation and Lightning Round with a special a special dedication in Lightning Round, Let's jump into the matchups, beginning with Redskins taking on the Saints. Start with the Redskin side in the running game, Chris Thompson to be here. He will get a few more carries with Rob Kelly now and I are, but the bulk of his value will still come through the air like always.

Thompson averaging five receptions and the Saints owned bottom ten rankings in completions, receptions and receiving yards to running backs Kirkhuz Kirkhovs Cousins averaging thirty eight pass attempts in the last five weeks, and the Saints should stick with the pass as they try to keep pace with the Saints. So I like Thompson here. Staying with the running game, what about Somer g p Ride. Many people were scrambling to the waiver wire to go get him this week.

Only a C start here though, Yeah, he will get the majority of the carries with Rob Kelly on I R last week average four yards per carry against Minnesota, which doesn't sound good, But the Vikings only give up three point four yards per carry, so we actually outperformed what most runners do against the Vikings. Um. I can see Washington just giving up on running the ball game. Flow is definitely working against Perryn for sure in this one, and and I alluded to that earlier with the Cousins

thirty eight pass attempts. Now, the Saints shut down La Shawn McCoy last week. They shut down Doug Martin the week before that. Prior to that, they were gouged though by Jordan Howard and Aaron Jones, straight ahead power runners like Parne. So maybe maybe there's an angle here, but only a C grade and you're hoping for a touchdown out of paren Let's go to the passing game. Kirk Cousins only a see. I do think he throws a

lot here. Um, but Washington's Saints. The Saints have a really good past defense, their number one over during their seven game winning streak, They've got the number one ranked past defense, only giving up one hundred sixties seven passing yards per game. That's it. But they haven't played anybody that Matthew Stafford was the only one they played that was any good, zero or one touchdown passes in six of the seven games that they have played during the

seven game winning streaks. So I Scott say Cousins with the sea here and part of it, because you know, try to find whose great target is. I mean, who's the target that's gonna blow up with the big game. I told you I like Chris Thompson through the air, but I don't know that he's going to be explosive. Jamison Crowder maybe over the past two weeks he's averaged eight catches in one yards per game, but over the past five games, New Orleans owns top five rankings and catches, targets,

receiving yards, and touchdowns allowed to opposing whiteouts. Crowder does draw the easiest cornerback matchup though, slock eyed P. J. Williams, and so he gets a startable grade here. Uh. Jordan reads out. But Vernon Davis is on the bench anyway. Because the Saints have yielded the fewest catches and receiving yards to opposing tight ends among all teams this season, he's out. Josh Dockson's volume remains too low. We can't trust him either, and he probably hooks up with Rookie

of the Year candidate Marshawn Lattimore. Pro Football focuses highest rated cornerback, so a bench grade for Josh Dockson as well. Let's go to the New Orleans side. Uh, Mark Ingram has become a guy that we can just now say obvious a start and move on to because he's become that good in that bankable. Alvin Kamara meanwhile, leads the NFL and yards per carry at six and a half and a ppr juggernaut averaging six receptions for fifty yards

through the air since week number three. We're getting close to giving him an obviously, he is getting close, right, So the six catches for fifty yards, you're getting ted gain for free with Alvin Camara's receiving yards, and then all those rushing yards is on top of that. At by the way, six and a half yards per carry for Kimara. This one stat from the rb Scout on Twitter of Alvin Kamara's touches the resulting a gain of ten or more yards. It's ridiculous. He's so good, it

really is. He faces a Washington defense that's allowed the fourth most running back receptions and the sixth most running back yards through the air. So an a grade for Camara as well a grade. And as we turn to the passing game for Michael Thomas, he runs uh less than his routes from the right hand side. That means he's mostly gonna avoid Josh Norman, and that's the key anytime you can avoid Norman. And really, actually the Vikings went at Norman and had plenty of success, but avoiding

him makes it even easier. He's mostly going to see but Shot Brelan Profo Ball focuses one ranked cornerback. Over the past five weeks, no team has allowed more wide receiver touchdowns than the Redskins have. Thomas a grade. Ted Gin gets a C grade. He lines up on the um.

He lines up on the side for Josh Norman, so I think he's got a much tougher draw here, but they've started shifting him into the slot, and that means he could draw Kendall Fuller affair amount and Fuller just got roasted by Adam Feeling, who is a a speed guy of sorts as well a quickness guy, and so Gain could have some success from the slot that way. Drew Breese gets a B grade thanks the league's best rushing attack. Drew Brees languishing in terms of passing attempts.

To get this guy's over the last three games, He's thrown and twenty five passes, and I was thinking to myself, man, that's crazy low output for Drew Brees. So I went back through his all of his career game logs. It's been thirteen years since he went three games without topping twenty eight pass attempts. A what a guess per Due, Yeah, well, well I had to go to two thousand five. It's been that long, and that will probably be the case here as well. As we continue to love uh Ingram

and camera. All right, let's move on to our next matchup, and that is Baltimore taking on the Green Bay. Bob Baltimore is gonna win this game. By the way, This is going Baltimore defense. Very unexciting game for reality fantasy. Let's start here. I want to hear your thoughts on Danny Woodhead week number one of availability. By the way, they're expected to activate him today, so technically he hasn't even been activated, but we'll find out. So it's your

last chance at a premature speculation of Danny Woodhead. Uh. He's going to return. Terence West is also going to return. We still have Buck Allen, and we still have Alex Collins. This backfield is just muddy. I don't want any part of it. This week, the Packers have actually allowed the ninth fewest receiving yards to opposing running backs. So I have Wouldhead, Allen, and West on the bench. I'm giving Alex Collins just a tepid ce. Uh. West looks like

he's returning. Collins averages two yards more per carry than West does, and six backs have gone over a hundred yards or scored a touchdown against the Packers this season. Joe Flacco, I'm giving a C minus minus minus. Uh. He hasn't passed for two D seventy yards all year. He only hit the two touchdown mark once, but his top two receivers, Mike Wallace and Jeremy Macklin are both going to be healthy and on the field at the

same time. And prior to the gimme last week at Chicago, green Bay's defense had allowed an average of three nine passing yards over the last three games. Charch already talked about how he liked Mike Wallace. As they take a chance on a wide receiver, I go. I gave Jeremy Maclin a C as well. Maclin's shoulder is as healthy as it's been since the beginning of the year, and the two games prior to the bye, he scored in one and hit ninety eight yards and the other. The

past defense for green Bay's bad. They've allowed the fourth most receptions and six most yards to wide receivers and slot corner to Marius Randall should be facing Macklin. He's Pro football focuses one covers grade among hundred and sixteen cornerbacks. So Macklin gets a CE, maybe even a b um. Let's go to the Packers side where Jamal Williams I'm giving him a C grade. Aaron Jones is out. It looks like Ty Montgomery is trending that way as well.

But the Ravens run defense is really good. And they've been dominating us since Brandon Williams returned to defensive tackle. In two games prior to the by, Baltimore allowed forty five rushing yards and forty five rushing yards to the Dolphins and Titans running backs combine. But Jamal Williams is going to get all the work because there's just nobody else, So uh, he gets a C grade. Brett Hunley is

on the bench. Though the Ravens have held seven of nine quarterbacks they faced to one touchdown or less and seven of nine to twenty passing yards are less. Brett Huntley has got a growing injury that he's been kind of limping through this week as well, and Baltimore has more interceptions thirteen than touchdowns allowed this year. That kind of works into Brett Hunley's game right there. That does.

That's perfect. Uh. Davante Adams is the only receiver I can give a C grade seed I wouldn't start anybody else. He faces Jimmy Smith, who doesn't leave the right size. Adams plays roughly half of his snaps from that position, but he has thirty three targets to Jordy's twenty four from Hunley this season. That's why Jordy's on the bench. His average game without Aaron Rodgers two point six catches and twenty two yards. You no touchdowns? Gross? That is gross.

We'll take a break when we come back. Falcons take on the Seahawks in a game in which the Seahawks are gonna be very, very shorthanded offensively and defensively. We'll talk about that matchup plus lightning round in premature speculation when we return Distinct Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan Fantasy Football Weekly. We're gonna dive right into the matchups because we are behind time right now. Falcons take on the Seahawks. Brian the Seahawks deeply shorthanded on defense. Cam

Chancellor just went on, I are. Richard Sherman on I are and what I mean? I'm just went on I are like an hour ago. Luke Joke Will not expected to go from their offensive line. Dwayne Brown not expected to go from their offensive line. Seattle comes into this game deeply shorthanded. I like a lot of Falcons. What do you how about you? Yeah, you gotta like the Falcons pass game. Uh. They actually thrived last year with a healthy Seattle secondary when they played in Seattle. I'll

start with Matt Ryan. He had three thirty five yards and three touchdowns in that meeting last year. Seattle secondary is obviously ailing. As you just mentioned. Ryan has thrown for multiple scores and three straight games. Also been very good on the road, averaging two eighty seven passing yards and throwing for two touchdowns and every away game this year. So I had him as a BE but I'm bumping up to an A with this leacred secondary even though safe.

You're earl Thomas might make his return, but he's not at a hundred percent if he does by any means um. So yeah, Julio Jones, who I had as a b U. He had a good game last year in this matchup, seven catches for a hundred three nine yards in a touchdown, and if you recall, he was jobbed on a non pass interference call late in the game that cost him to win where he had Sherman beat for another big game, So he was pushing two hundred yards in that game.

So I'm bumping him up from a B D and A now now with this banged up secondary, So you're obviously starting Julio. You can start Muhammed Sanu as well, UH and giving him a C. Sanno runs mainly from the slot, which should put him in justin Coleman's territory. He was plus and coverage. But without Sherman they might kick Coleman to the outside now, so who knows? Who knows how that secondary is gonna shake up? So Snow

is startable with the C grade. UH, so is Austin Hooper. Uh. Seattle has allowed four the last five tight ends they faced to catch at least four passes and and hit sixty yards. So I like Hooper in this matchup too. And you gotta like Tepn Coleman with no Davante Freeman who's at with a concussion, and give Coleman a B. He's in for an expanded role here. It is a

tough matchup. The Seahawks are allowing just one d one rushing yards per game and have allowed the second fewest receptions to run backs, but they have allowed eight total touchdowns to the position, including five in the past three games. So Coleman is a pretty solid start over to the Seattle. You mentioned the woes on the offensive line. That's causing me to to bump a few of these guys down.

I had Russell Wilson as an A. I'm gonna put him down to a B. And that caller who I told told to start Wilson over car I'm kind of flip flopping there with this old line revelation. So yeah, it's bad. And other than Aaron Rodgers, no quarterback has topped two and sixty five yards against Atlanta or two total touchdowns. They have given up good numbers on the ground. Two guys like Cam Newton and Dak Prescott both scored. So Wilson's definitely startable, but he's gonna be running for

his life in this one. Um, Doug Baldwin, he did not have a good game when these teams met last year. I'm gonnave him just to be he's a borderline. See Atlanta has allowed just one one dred yard game to wider a wide receiver, and uh only one wide receiver as scored multiple touchdowns against against them. This year, Baldwin will see a heavy dose of Brian Pool though, who is the second who allows the second highest catch percentage

among quarterbacks per Pro Football Focus. So you're still starting him. I'm Benjing, Tyler Lockett, and Paul Richardson, though, uh, Jimmy Graham, I'm gonna give him a C. I had him as a B. But he might be doing a lot of blocking in this game. That's the worry. Six touchdowns in his last five games, though multiple touchdowns in two of his last three. Gotta start him. But he's going to be in line for some old line duty in this one, unfortunately. And Thomas Rawls I have on the bench with this

this banged up old line. Only one carry in the second half last last week, so he is certainly on the decline. I don't think he was ever on the incline this season, so that is why J. D. McKissick was might take a chance on me running back. He should get a lot done through the air, and he was basically the featured back last week in the second half. Injuries play a big factor in the Eagles at Cowboys as well, because Dak Prescott once again will be without

his left tackle, Tyron Smith. Prescott sacked eight times last week without him there six from that side, and Smith is gonna miss another game, and that means Eagles defense. Event Vinny Curry gets to just tee off on him, and Curry is way better. Uh than was it Clayborn? Yeah, it's Claiborne who notch the the six sacks last week. So Curry Currier ranks sixteenth the month defensive ends by

Profo Ball Focus. So I'm nervous about Dak. He's all the way down to a C grade here because of this matter and seeing how it all worked out last week. After a shaky start to the season, the Eagles secondary has improved dramatically over the last month, the Eagles giving up two nine passing yards and barely one touchdown pass per game. So Dad's just a C grade here. Dez Bryant just a C grade as well. He hasn't top fifty yards in three games, and I worry about Dak

having enough time in the pocket to find downfield. The good news, you're your glimmer hope for Dez Brian is that big bodied receivers have tended to do the best against Philadelphia, and obviously Dez is a big, physical receiver. Jason Witten just to see here as well. Um a little bit like Jimmy Graham worried he's gonna have to spend a lot of time blocking unfortunately, and that may be the case for Jason Witten as well. We're gonna keep the whole running game on the bench, though. Alfred

Morris difficult task this week. He goes up against the number one ranked run defense in the NFL, Philadelphia, giving up just sixties six rushing yards per game and an NFL low twenty nine first downs on the ground. Morris is also going to be on the wrong side of a game script in which probably the Eagles get ahead in this game and then the they need to throw, and alf doesn't catch passes, and so I don't think that works in his favor either. So let's keep him

on the bench. Now. If they're gonna throw a lot of passes, potentially to running backs Rod Smith, maybe we know that his deal is going to be your change of pace back, you're passing down back. But I just don't know he gets he cobbles together enough work here to make him a reliable starter. So I've got him on the bench as well. Now let's talk about the Eagle side. Carson Wentz obvious a start, we don't even

need to elaborate. Same with Zach Ertz, who has been an ELEAD Fantasy tight end all year long, and a nice matchup here, let's spend more time on all Sean Jeffrey, who was nursing an ankle injury but should play. But let's note the risk here that he really is a game time decision for all Sean Jeffrey. Um, he's been read out of late. But Dallas secondary has only a lot two receivers the top eighty yards all year, and Jefferies scored a touchdown two of his last three meetings

with the Cowboys, so would be great for him. Nelson Aguilar, you may remember that five seconds ago I said that only two receivers of top to eighty yards against the Cowboys. Both of those receivers ran from the slot. And that's why I still like Nelson Algar. In this game, I thought you can say both were Nelson No, not actually yes,

although it could have been. He goes up against Orlando Scander, who ranks his quarterback sixty three by Pro Football Focus ce grad and al All right, now, the backfield, and we touched on this last week during their bye week. This thing is always going to be confounding between a giant and Blunt and Clement and to a lesser extent um what smallwood, thank you, Dallas has been a good

run defense. Remember they just held Kareem Hunt to thirty seven rushing yards two weeks ago, but now they're without Shawn Lee, and without him last week they let the Falcons are all hundred seventeen rushing yards. Sean No Sean Lee, No Sean Lee. I like that Blunt and a Giant

likely to share carries almost evenly. But Clement got the most carries two weeks ago, so I think probably two out of the three get paid in some fashion here between a Giant, Blunt and Clement, and good luck figuring out which one is because I don't think I don't even know that the Eagles could tell you who it's

going to be right now. Um, I got C grades on them all because I think they're gonna split carries almost three ways, and that's gonna mean something in the ballpark of eight nine ten touches, eight nine ten touches, eight nine ten touches, hopefully a couple of them turn into touchdowns. I'm calling fifteen carries for a giant. I know you love you love that bit. I'm not as confident that a Giant is just going to turn into a workhorse as others are Bengals take on the Broncos.

That will be our final matchup of this of the show. Let's see if we can zip through this one quickly. Matt Yeah, Andy Dalton was might take a chance on the quarterback. He gets a C grade. A J. Green. I'm giving a B too knock down from an A. A usual A for a J. Green because he's going up against Key to Leave and Chris Harris both rank them on the top fifteen corners in the league by

Pro Football Focus. But there's a lot of touchdown potential there because the Broncos are giving up touchdowns to the wide receiver position. So like a J. Green in the red zone. Tyler Craft, I'm gonna give a C grade to the Broncos. Past defense ranks bottom three and catches, targets, receiving yards and touchdowns allowed to tight ends. They're almost like the Giants West right now to tight ends league high seven forty six yards to the position. So that's

a lot. That is a lot. Joe Mixing, he's getting a C grade, scoring two straight, but Mixing has total seventy yards from scrimmage only twice this year. Denver's run defense had a great start to the season, but over the last three weeks they're giving up four yards per carry. They've also given up four running back touchdowns in that span. So mixing gets the Sea Broncos side running game on

the bench Anderson and Booker. Anderson barely seeing over ten carries per game in his last five outings and uh the split on the snaps last week was thirty eight percent for c J thirty eight percent for Booker. For Charles, this is gross. Let's just stay out of it. And and frankly, since he's got a good run defense as well, Brick Osweilers on the bench, only Aaron Rodgers is top two sixty four yards passing or two total touchdowns against

the Bengals this year. Just c grades for Damarius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, despite some good play in the last few weeks. Thomas has caught seven touchdown passes in ten career games with Osweidler. Sanders is top ninety nine yards and half of his career games with Osweiler, but just one opposing wide receiver and that was Marquis Lee his top sixty five yards against Cincinnati since Week three. I don't like the matchup all that much, so it's just

c grades for those Broncos wide receivers. Alright, premature speculation. We only have a few minutes here, so let's be be super brief on these guys. Brian, who you got. I'm going back to Paxston Lynch. I mentioned his week fourteen through sixteen schedule. Let me start with next week where he could or should make his debut at Oakland at Miami Jets, Colts, Redskins, all very good matchups. He could be an exciting town. Okay, I've got Corey Coleman who's returning from i R this week. He had a

hand injury just like he did last year. Uh coming back. He's the Brown's number one wide receiver easily and by talent. For pick up a number one wide receiver this late in the season, you do it, especially for Dynasty and Empire League ers. Mac Hollands is the rookie fourth round receiver from the Eagles whose snap count keeps going up week after week. Tori Smith sucks and mac Hollins is going to take his job. If not this year, then

definitely next year. Mac Hollins, you're starting wide. They're gonna kick Tory Smith to the curb. In the offseason. Mac hollins is your starting wide receiver and a Carson Wentz offense for the foreseeable future. He is a great Dynasty and Empire league stash. I bet in Canada they call him Sory Smith. Yeah, I gotta chuckle at him. Thank you. Don't forget that. Al Shan also a free agent after this year, so they don't They just signed him on his big deal. It wasn't a one year deal. It

was a one year deal. Are you sure. I don't know about that. I'm not saying you're wrong, but that doesn't jive with my memory. But that'd be mcollins is number one maybe go to receiver at that point. UH memorial moment for a c d C founder Malcolm Young the t the band has just announced his passing. He has been battling cancer, I believe for like three years, unfortunately, and has finally succumb We've been playing lightning round here

for the over ten years. UM, so a moment we'll we'll both dispense fantasy advice and keep Malcolm Young's UH family in mind as we go to the phones, and we begin with Craig Hi. Craig all right, Paul tell wonder why you don't rank defenses and you take Collins or Jamal Williams this week, Sure you can take the I'll go with Jamal Williams. Baltimore's backfield way too crowded for me right now. And we just don't have time, is the answer. On kickers and defense. We just we

just don't have time in two hours. Andy, you're next full point PPR J. D mckissic or Danny Woodhead. Uh. Mckissic is the guy who's got a starting grade for many of us this week, So I'd stick with him. By the way, I like, I actually like what had Bean one year? Nine point five outstanding? Mac Hall. I'm telling you, Empire leaguers, Dynasty leaguers, Mac Collins, Rich your next, Jamison Crowder or Doug Martin. Crowder or Martin. Yeah, I'll

take Martin with the guaranteed touches. I think I will um, Well, you know what I'm going Crowder, he's been he's averaged eight catches a game the last two weeks. And we think they're gonna throw, they think they're gonna we think they're gonna throw through that whole game. I'm switching it to Crowder Jason, you're next, Hey, guys, Fitzgerald or Shepherd. Wow, man, I would almost bench anyone else other than those two,

but I I gotta go Fits, gotta go Fits. Look at the quarterback DIFFERNI I know Kareem Jackson just gets roasted from the slot. I don't know. Fits is just Fits is the man Shepherds. Stirling Shepherd's matchup is awesome as well. I don't know. I'm going with the Hall of Famer. All right, Ben, you're next, Hey, guys, um sitting good automatically playoffs and change for five week And

now with Seattle's conundrum, I'm thinking dropping them. Would you drop them for like a Chargers or Bears defense or some hot ten If you're gonna drop them, I just say you play the matchups the rest of the way out. See who's playing Cleveland everywhere in Houston. Stream that stream against the bad quarterbacks, and I would drop the Seattle defense. Yeah, I think that's a good move. Bryan, you're next on the fan. Yeah, Marshawn Lynch for Birkhead pr because it's PPR.

We're gonna take Birkhead. Pete you are next, Kenyan Drake or p Ryan, Alright, I gotta go Drake. Charges take a chance of me running back like Drake this week. Mark, you're on the fan, Yeah for Net can't go Chris Thompson or Sterling Shepherd again, Sterling Shepherd, Folks, this is a number wide receiver and absolutely love him. Our final call of the day will be Grover. Hello, Grover, good morning, great program guys, PPR, Kevin Coleman or Mike Evans. Mike Evans,

I mean we can't bench Evans. I realized Coleman is going to get the vast majority of the work and that counts for something. But no, we can't. We can't go that far. Gophers versus Northwestern. I think it's Northwestern this week. Gophers versus Northwestern pregame show coming up next.

If you miss any part of the show this show, check out the podcast Cafe and Fan on demand, also available on iTunes, and Tony will have it posted when immediately following the immediately following the show, which is currently now immediately following the show Goodbye. You're listening to Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan