Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly source for the nation's best fantasy.
Speculation and advice.
Now, along with the guys from guatin leagues dot com, here's your host, Paul Chargian.
Welcome to the first round of the playoffs. Yes, we're finally here. You've been working for fourteen weeks and now it's do or die. Every week counts. We're here to help on Paul Charchi and Coast Today, Brian Johnson and thor Nystrom. Hey, guys, what's up boys.
I think everyone has worked very hard, the hardest everyone's ever worked in they make the playoffs this year in fantasy football, it deals like this year.
It's been a tough road. Yeah, it has been a tough road. If you made it in congratulations. I'll say this though. The big mistake that I think people make is they get to the playoffs and they feel a certain sense of like entitlement that because they they've gotten their roster to the playoffs, that done, they don't need to do anything anymore. They're gonna just start the guys that got you there. You can't stop working now.
No, this is the wrong time. This is where the work begins.
That's right, So don't feel like you got to just go with the guys that got you there. You know, were you the one that pivoted to Zamir White you know on Thursday night? Those are the kinds of moves that are gonna give you playoff wins.
Correct.
We're here to help. We're gonna break down all fifteen of the remaining games, including the Saturday schedule. We will give you the nine players upon whom you can take a chance, and we'll answer three tough questions later in this show, Brian, let's jump right into the matchups. Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Colts. The one two punch of Nase Harris and Jalen Warden were pretty much stopped last week. What do you think of the running backs in this game against the Colts.
Yeah, it's a better matchup this week for Warren and Harris.
Both should get.
Decent usage against the Colts, who have yielded the fourth and most rush attempts by running backs, and they've allowed sixteen total touchdowns to the position. That's the third most starting with Warren. Among running backs with one hundred plus carries. Warren ranks first in yards per carry, yards after contact per carry and mistackles forced per carry, but he continues to split time with Harris, who has been less efficient
but still not bad. No posting decent fantasy numbers. So I got to see on both of them, but they're gonna continue to eat each other's lunch. So just to see for Warren and Harris, and a C for Deontay Johnson, and I got George Pickens on the bench, So going back to Johnson. Since his return in week seven, Pickens has an eighteen percent target share, which is not a lot, actually it's kind of bad. And Pickens hasn't scored since Week eight, and during that same span, Pickens has topped
sixty receiving yards just once. So I'm just starting Johnson out of these two, who's scored in back to back games. And it's a fairly neutral matchup. The Colts allowing nearly one hundred and fifty yards in a touch per game to opposing wide receiver, so I think Johnson's a safer play, So I'm off off off Pickins this week. I will get Pat Fryer Muth to see the cold steps surrender just two tight end touchdowns all season, but they are allowing more than five and a half catches and fifty
five yards per game to the position. So Muth is viable in the wasteland. Mitch Trubisky not viable.
Oh, I don't have my true I don't have my sad trombone Ski.
People, it's it's ingrained in their brains at this point. They can hear it already.
It's sad Trump. We don't have time for it.
We're not we're not. We're beyond Trubisky. We'll talk about him, I probably never again. Continue over to the Colt side, Zach Moss. He gets a be as expected. Moss has been getting belcow usage with Jonathan Taylor out the last two games. He's averaging nineteen touches. Moss is on nearly ninety percent of the snaps, but he's only averaging fifty seven combo yards with no touchdowns over the last two games.
Yeah, tough opponents, though, tough opponents.
A little better matchup here, But just based on volume alone, you're gonna start Zach Moss against anyone at this point.
So I'm gonna give him a bee.
I don't think he has a upside this week, but he should provide a safe B floor or at least a C floor over to the wide receivers. Michael Pittman's the only one that's getting a starting grade for me.
For the Colts.
Pittman is averaging eleven and a half targets over his last seven games. He's just been bawling out during that span. This is not the best matchup. Pittsburgh hasn't allowed a wide receiver touchdown in fourth straight. But Juju Smith, Schuster and Jamar Chase both had at least eighty yards against the Steelers over the last two weeks, so that should be a safe floor for Pittman. So I'm still going to give him a bee here. But Josh Downs, he's
on the bench. His yardage totals over the last five thirty two, fourteen, forty three, forty and ten with no touchdowns, had a nice run. But he's just a dynasty stash right now. All the tight ends are on the bench because the Colts deploy four of them, none named Jolannie Woods. I'm sorry it's only because of injury, though it's unfortunate.
And Gardner Minshew.
I was close to giving him a CE, but with elite edge rushers, T J. Watt and Alex high Smith expected to play. I just can't you know, I can't tell you to sort of Gardner Minshew in the playoffs.
I don't think I would do it either. That's it for that one. Jets take on the Dolphins in what could be a significant rain game. Thor are we chasing the box score from AFC Offensive Player of the Week Zach Wilson. I can't believe that string of words just came out of my mouth.
Yeah, I can't believe I heard it. We're not.
This is a tougher matchup for Zack Wilson for sure. You're alluding to a three hundred one passing yards and two touchdowns.
Against the Texas last week.
But boy did the Texas have a future a secondary which we're gonna be talking about later on. I give Wilson a see here because of the tougher match He did show something last week. But Dolphins have allowed the seventh fewest yards per attempts week ten, so a tougher matchup. Like I said, Garrett Wilson, I'm gonna give him a bee. He was the biggest benefactor of Zach Wilson's resurgence last week. Season high one hundred and eight receiving yards on fourteen targets.
This is a game script that is going to skew very pass heavy. Obviously, the Jets are big underdogs in this one, but you know, again tougher match up in terms of the on field thing. Miami's allowed the sixth most opponent of justin fantasy points to wide receivers this year, and contextually very important here to note Jalen Ramsey's been balling out since he came back. He's only allowed a
forty two percent catch rates. It's nothing nuts. Yeah, he's not going to be shadowing Wilson here, but they're going to be heads up on each other quite a bit in this game. You have to dig Garrett Wilson a little bit. I give him a bee. Also give a B to Breese Hall. Breese Hall fantasy running back fifteen so far, number five in yards after contact per attempt. The Dolphins are top five though in suppressing explosive runs and yards after for the contact since Week nine. So
we're gonna stick with a B on that one. Moving to the Dolphins, I've give to a C in this one. Last time he played the Jets, he threw two interceptions. The Jets have allowed an NFL low yards per attempts since Week eight, and also two has been trending down, as you guys know, in terms of fantasy He's been QB sixteen or worse in three of his last five games. And the Tyreek Hill status, you know, is still up
in the air. I give Tyreek a beat if he plays, but he missed significant time as you guys know, against the Titans last week after he injured his ankle in the first quarter. Only ended up playing forty six percent of the snaps in that game. He said afterwards that he wasn't able to cut and change directions like normal.
And that, by the way, that's his gate, that's his.
Entire game, and so you take away his yeah, that movement, Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it severely hampers him. He has not practiced this week. He's officially questionable. Mike McDaniel was talking to the media like, don't read too much into him
not practicing. So you could see him out there, but if he does play, you got to curb your enthusiasm because it's a tougher matchup against his Jets defense, and he's obviously not going to be one hundred percent, so b if he plays, I'm giving Jayalen Wattle a bee
as well in this one. He's going to get pounded with the targets if Cheetah is out, but they don't ever look at him in the red zone even when Cheata's not on the field, So that's cut down on Wattle's fantasy value this year, only at eight red zone targets all season. The last time against the Jets, though he did go eight for eight on targets for one hundred and fourteen receiving yards. Devin Auchay and I'm giving
him a seat if he plays. He's the other big one who's up in the air right now with his status questionable with a toe injury mispractice on Wednesday. He did return Thursday and Friday, but was limited. Workload's going to be slash if he does end up going in this one. Playable if you're desperate, if you know that he's going to be playing in this game, but monitor that status. Rocky Moster, I'm going to give him a bee.
He played sixty four percent of the snaps with twenty two touches and one hundred total yards last week, and this is a game where there could be Grand Slam potential for him if Auchen is out big, if there Jets have a run funnel defense. Opponents average more rush attempts per game against the Jets and anyone else in the NFL, we're given moster to be.
Yeah, this is up. This is gonna be a tricky matchup. I get the feeling one or two Dolphins is going to have a down game against a very good defense. And guys who Dolphins that carried you into the playoffs going to let some people down this week. Agreed, Bret Bears take on the Browns, and this is two really, really good defenses. And if you think Chicago's not, you're wrong. Continue listening on. We'll start at the bare side of the ball, though, justin fields better matchup than it appears
at first glance. Cleveland has a lot of consecutive three touchdown passing games. After giving up none of those in the first eleven games, the Browns have allowed five quarterback rushing touchdowns that's third most in the league, and since returning from injury, fields averaging eleven designed runs per game seventy four rushing yards per game. We're getting our be two rushing production out of justin field, so B grade
right there. Even though it's a it is generally a pretty tough passing matchup, made tougher by the ankle injury to DJ Moore. You're gonna want to follow his status as a game time decision, but it's a brutal matchup against an elite secondary, especially if Denzel Ward, who's questionable, can return from his shoulder injury. But even if he can't, cornerbacks Martin Emerson and Greg Newsen have played great over
the last five weeks. They're giving up a less than sixty percent catch rate and a forty four passer rating. That's it. They've combined to allow zero touchdowns and four interceptions over the course of the season. Your glimmer of hope here is that Cleveland plays almost exclusively man coverage, and DJ Moore is the seventh highest graded wide receiver versus man coverage by Pro Football Focus. We've got a C grade on DJ Moore, assuming he's able to go.
Cole Comet clocks in. Only two tight ends have posted big games against the Browns. It Commet clocking with the C Mark and Andrews and Evan Ingram last week had big games against the Rounds. Everybody else has just been duds. The other tight ends are averaging one and a half catches for seventeen yards a game. I it's nothing.
Evan Ingram essentially octupled the per game averages. Yeah, catches, yards, touchdowns last week unbelievable.
Yeah. Comt has seen at least seven targets in five of the past six games, but half of those are with Tyler Bagen, who has dumping the ball to him constantly. Fields has got a lot more up and down usage with Kamet. I still think this is a a playable entity here in Parks. They're not a lot of alternatives have passed to see great on Comet. We'll talk about don to Foreman next segment. Let's go over to the
Cleveland side. Joe Flacco has been shockingly good. It's funny how he walked into this offense and looked more comfortable in the Browns offense than the quarterbacks who are there all year. For sure, he's thrown for five hundred and sixty five yards and five touchdowns, but this is a very tough matchup against a massively improved Bear secondary that's held their last two quarterbacks they face to less than
two hundred passing yards and six combined interceptions. This is a tricky matchup for Flacco, only a C grade for him. Let's talk to his receivers, who all get C grades as well, including David and Joko, averaging nearly eight targets per game in his last three games, including season highs. So Joe Flacco. Since way back in Week seven, the Bears are much improved against tight ends, allowing just thirty
five yards to the position per game. They've given up half a touchdown per game, which isn't bad, and that's your best reason to start in Joko here and is why he still gets a C grade as the prospect of a touchdown. Amari Cooper is coming off a fourteen target game, but he's going to get lighter usage here
for sure. He probably gets shadow coverage from emerging elite cornerback Jayalen Johnson, who's just turned into a menace, just one score all season allowed, and he's giving up a forty eight percent catch rate opposing number one outside wideouts, having topped fifty seven receiving yards against Chicago since Week two. Wow, so fifty seven feels like your absolute max for Amari Cooper,
and it's why he's just a C grade. Elijah Moore comes into the C grade slot receivers avoid Jalen Johnson, they fare better than their outside counterparts, although I will note I'm on ros Saint Brown just got held to a season low last week, so even Elijah were not a sure thing. Moore has top forty two yards in five straight games, which I like, and he's had the upticking usage and better passing frankly from Joe Flacco, but
he scored just once all season. C grade there, and then the last guy I want to talk about, Jerome Ford. The Bears have turned into just a fantastic run stuffing defense. No back his top seventy six yards all year, although both of the Detroit backs said sixty six yards last week. I'll mention that Chicago's only given up three rushing touchdowns since back in Week three. Ford has cut eight of
nine targets from Joe Flacco, so I like that. And the Bears allow the most receiving yards to opposing running backs fifty eight per game. So you start forward in PPR formats with a C raid. When we come back, take a chance on me nine players not normally in your starting lineup. I already tipped my hand for one of them. Find out who the other eight are when we come back to Fantasy Football Weekly. Take a chance on me. Nine players not normally in your starting lineup.
Find out who they are right here, beginning at the quarterback position, and Brian Johnson take a chance. Forget about it. I got Tommy DeVito at the Saints.
Over here, opposing quarterbacks were averaging around two hundred passing yards and one and a half passing touchdowns per against the Saints. That's decent production. But the real angle here is the rushing. New Orleans has allowed the second most rushing yards to quarterbacks. Five of the last six they faced have run for at least forty yards. And I'm also gonna guess Tommy Dee remembers that the Saints decided to pick Jake Hayner over him with the one and
twenty seventh overall pick in the fourth round. Spike game incoming, and let me take this a little further, all right, Spike game last week for de Vito against the Packers. They took a quarterback, and thor will do all these quarterbacks. Then it's the Saints. Yeah, and then Eagles. Everyone he faces in the Rams, Eagles, Rams, Eagles, they all took a quarterback in the fourth round or later over Tommy DeVito. He's going to run the table on all these fools.
All right, thor you're taking to some quarterback.
I'm going with Will Levis and this one another guy was taking ahead of Tommy DeVito, and I can't believe I'm stumping for him here. Levis and the Titans are playing the Texans this week. Since Levis got into the starting lineup, he's been a fantasy q you know, super flex league startable, okay, fringish, you know, twelve.
Team super flex QB two.
But there's a possibility that he could be at QB one, I think in standard twelve team leagues this week against a rans at Texans pass defense. And for anyone out there right now who's thinking that is a crazy thing to say. Zach Wilson through for three hundred plus yards and two touchdowns against his tech Texans secondary last week.
They're very, very bad.
The Texans have allowed the second highest yards per attempts since Week nine. And the last thing the Titans are gonna be wearing those Oilers uniforms.
You want a piece of that.
They're gonna looking flashy.
This week in Houston too. That's like a it's not a revenge game. It's like a uniform, just like I like that.
I don't like it.
I love it, like it, I do it. I like it. Matthew Stafford is kind of an obvious pick. I went, I went obvious choice here, so just beare me out. Washington is the opponent. They're the league's worst pass defense, and it's not close. They've allowed the most passing touchdowns thirty. With four weeks to go in the season, Washington has already allowed more pass touchdowns than thirty one of thirty
two teams did all of last season. Nine of the last ten quarterbacks to face Washington have thrown for multiple touchdowns, and the only guy who didn't was Mac Jones, and he does not count. After a very slow start, Stafford's been red hot four touchdowns, three touchdowns, three touchdowns the last three weeks. I think he's an obvious start. In fact, I think he's my number five or six fantasy quarterback This week. To go to the running back position, Brian.
I've got Atlanta's Tyler Algier at the Panthers. These teams first met back in Week one, and Algier outproduced Bijon Robinson Algier at ninety four combo yards and two touchdowns on eighteen touches. Bijeon has been getting more of the work as of late, as we all know, but there should be enough meat on the bone in this very juicy matchup, which is going to be played in torrential rain.
They're saying like two to three inches, Yeah, twenty mile prour wins and no one throws on the Panthers anyway, who have allowed the most rushing yards and rushing touchdowns at running backs. And that's pretty easy to do when you've yielded the second most red zone touches to running backs and the second most touches in gold to ghost scenarios.
So Tyler l jeer viable this week? All right, let's go to Thori. You take a chance with me running back. Let's get another share of those oilers' uniforms. All right, We're going with Taj Spears a frequent frequent appearances. I think he's old, second only to Baker Mayfield. And take a chance on the appearances.
Home run hitter thirteen touches for one hundred and eighteen yards on sixty six percent of the snaps last week. There's an opportunity for another good game here. The Texans not only have the mediocre run defense, but they're bottom ten in the league in receptions allowed and receiving receiving yardage allowed. I'm sorry to opposing running backs. Taja has been getting some of those receiving looks and he can
break off any touchdown he gets for a touchdown. The game script is also going to be in his favor here with the Texans starting Davis Mills and that injury decimated wide receiving core.
Houston's gonna get rolled exactly.
Yeah, and Spears is going to get the touches, and he has been incredible on a per touch basis this year.
Doctor Foreman is the player who's alluding to last segment. Last week, he was the clearback for lead back for Chicago fifty five percent snap rate and Rochdown Johnson and Khalil Herbert combined for four carries. Since returning from injury in Week eleven, Foreman's gotten one hundred percent of the team's carries from inside the five yard line and a touchdown is a very real possibility here. Cleveland has allowed
six rushing touchdowns in the last five games. They've also started giving up more yards ninety seven running back rushing yards per game over the last five weeks. That's a much more yielding Brown's run defense than we were used to. Let's go to the receivers, Brian, who you got.
I'm pairing Wandale Robinson with Tommy DeVito at the Saints slot. Receivers have been showing up week over week against the Saints. Adam Thielen five catches seventy four yards, a Monro Saint Brown forty nine yards in a touchdown, Darnell Mooney five catches for eighty two yards, Josh Downs seven catches for seventy two yards, Christian Kirk six for ninety in a touchdown. Robert Woods scored against the Saints. The list goes on
and on. So wandel Robinson, who's also balling out, Yeah, and they're getting the ball in his hands, whether they're throwing it to him, handing it off. So I like the Vito in Robinson a lot, bearing them.
Up all right, thor you're taking a chance with me wide out.
I'm going with Broncos wide receiver Jerry Judy and their game against the Lions.
He definitely qualifies by the way he doesn't take it down now.
Yeah, obviously he's been super disappointing, so people out there who have him might be like, I'm not doing that.
All can see it.
He's wide receiver sixty one and fantasy points per game and Jerry Judy is not top seven or sixty receiving yards since Week seven. I think he gets there this week, though, there's hope because of the matchup.
Jerry Judy leads the team.
Even though he's played poorly this year, he still leads the Broncos in first read share against single high coverage. The Lions play a ton of single high coverage and the Lions pass defense has been bad. Also, Judy is going to be lined up across from Lion's rookie slot Brian Branch, who is allowed pass the rating of over one hundred and one this year.
Wow, yeah, all right, would you guys care to hazard a guess Pro Football Focus is highest rated wide receiver in the last month.
Not Jerry Judy, but I like the cal Thor I'm not throw the bu Dell Beckham.
Hey, my peacock off is still alive. Top twenty four wide receiver.
I called it. Yeah, well, I hope you're not close yet. Maybe this game will do it. Fourteen targets in two games under Joe Flacco, his biggest two game target total all season, and over the past five weeks, the Jaguars, his opponent, are bottom five in receptions, yards, and touchdowns allowed to wide receivers. Some recent blow up games for outside wide receivers. Against Jacksonville last week, Amari Cooper fourteen targets, seven catches. The previous week, Jamar Chase eleven catches, one
hundred and forty nine yards touchdown. Previous week Nicocollins one hundred four yards touchdown. Odell Beckham feels very safe here as somebody would not normally start, but you could this week. Let's go back to the matchups. The Atlanta Falcons taking on the Carolina Panthers. You told us that you like Tyler lg Er already imagine Bjon Robinson. You'll like him even better. Yeah, and for many of the same reasons.
Many of the same reasons. Again, no one throws against Carolina. They don't have to. They're so easy to run. Against and the weather is going to be a factor. They have a really good secondary. They do, yeah, they do.
Yeah, I'm not gonna fall that if they've got quality players in that secondary too. But back to Beijon, he gets the A. I just said this.
I'm not even going through the stacks all yes, A for Bejon Algier was might take a chance on me running back. Sadly, Drake London the only starting grade I'm giving out in the passing game, so that means Kyle Pitts on the bench. Back to London, he looked amazing last week, but this is a bad matchup on paper, especially with these weather concerns. No one throws on the
Panthers and they do have a good secondary. That's why opposing White House or averaging less than eleven catches per game against Carolin, So I can't fault you if you have a better for sitting London, if you have a better option. But again, not a great matchup, so just the softest of seas for London. And obviously Desmond Ritter on the bench as well, despite his blow up game last week, but that was an anomaly. Over to the Carolina side, I just have one starting grade and it's
on Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard has forty eight carries over his last two games for nearly two hundred yards and two touchdowns. Belcow usage, but this is a brutal matchup. The Falcons still haven't surrendered a rushing touchdown way running back. The Ravens have surrendered three, and that's the second fewests.
Just incredible.
But Atlanta is middle of the road when it comes to rushing and combo yards allowed, so Hubbard should be viable if he touched the three yards and touch.
Yeah, he's total.
He's not an RB one by any means, but he's flexworthy this week. And then again, everyone else on the bench, even Adam Feelen. That epic run from weeks two through six was a long time ago. Week six was the last time Feeling scored or topped one hundred yards, and the Falcons are vicious against wide receivers, allowing the third fewest receptions and yards to the position and Feeling only at two catches for twelve scoreless yards in the first meeting.
So he's on the bench unfortunately, all right with Mingo, Hurst, Bryce Young, all those guys, the.
Guys that you don't care about, thor Houston taking Tennessee. You've already touched on this a number of times and take a chance on me, but not the Houston side With Davis Mills at the helm? Who am I? Is there anybody to start here?
Noah Brown if you need it. If he plays, But he's questionable as well with a knee injury. Limited in practice this week, and he's been a ghost the past two weeks, been a little bit dinged up. But he's gonna get all the usage her wide receiver one if he targets if he does play, because Nico Collins and Tank Dell are both out. But of course he's gonna be playing with Davis Mill, So how much will that matter? I give So I'm gonna give him a see.
If he plays.
Dalton Schultz, I'm gonna give him a see as well. We know he is returning to the field after missing the last two weeks with a hamstring injury. Schultz was taken off the injury reports sore here going to be playing. He was a red zone target hawk earlier this season. But how many times are the Texans going to reach the red zone in this game? But looking my question, Yeah, the Titans also allowed the second fewest Fantasy points per game to tight ends, so not the best matchup. Motor Singletary,
I'm going to give him a see. Has supplanted our boy, Damian Pierce's lead back. It hurts to say. Singletary had sixty five total yards on fifty seven percent of the snaps last week. The Titans run defense has been playing better recently number two stuff rates since Week ten, so it can only give Motor a c. On the Titan side, Levis and Spears were might take a chance on me, Guys DeAndre Hopkins, I give him an a. In seven games with Will Levis, Hopkins is averaging seventy five yards
and a touchdown per game. He's also been targeted twenty four times in the past two games. He's like the baby's blanket for Will. Levis and the Texans of course have the atrocious pass which we talked about before, and also a.
Revenge game of course too.
For DeAndre Hopkins exactly, I guess his original team, that's.
Right, chick at Congquo. We're going to give him a see. He's been one of the winners of the Titans. Turning to Levis, Chig has two point three yards per route run. Since Week ten, the Texans allowed the third most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends to solid matchup for Chig, the concern is zero touchdowns this year and you're not really targeting him in the red zone, so
you gotta dig him a little bit for that. And then lastly, Derek Henry, I give him a b RB twelve and fantasy points per game so far this year. Another strong games coming here against the Texans run defense that has struggled in recent games. Texans have missed the six most tackles per attempts since Week ten, and.
His history against the Texans is absolutely insane.
He's scored at least once in like five straight Like no, no, he's kind of like, like half of his last five performances are two hundred yard rushing performances.
Yeah, big game could be coming.
Yeah, let's hope that now. The past is not always indicative of the future. But I think he's got one more in them, one more in him Garter. Yeah, come on, kay, one more time. That'd be great when we come back. Vikings versus Panthers. Vikings have Nick Mullins under center. Does that help their well breaking news? It helps compare to what they've had the past several weeks. How much is it enough to help some of the Vikings that you're counting on in the playoffs? Find out when we come back.
Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly. Paul Chargie and Brian Johnson thor Nystrom with you. It's the first playoff week. We're here to try to help you make the best of it. Vikings take on the Bengals. Vikings is going to be without excellent right tackle Brian O'Neill. You'll want to be thoughtful about how that could impact this offense least a little bit. I'm going to start with a player who has the potential for an absolutely gigantic game. Can I
take a guess? Yeah? It is time. It's tie time, right, No, you gotta start with Ty Chandler. Charge, fine, I'll start with Ty Chandler. I love No, I don't want the drug for Ty Midsummer. That's what I thought you would have started. All Kevin O'Connell has done is find ways to diminish his role, despite Alexander Madison being every bit as mundane as I was feared. Madison ruled out Chandler presumed starter, but they activated Miles Gaskin on Friday. Now,
Oh no, I'm nervous. Cincinnati has got a bunch of middle of the pack run defense metrics, but they also are twenty sixth in run stuff win rate, which could suggest that there's a little something to be done here. Vikings are not a great run blocking team, but Chandler's got a little burst, a little wiggle. Maybe I'll be able to get something done anyway. Bengals allow five rushing touchdowns in their last five games. I'd love to see you getting the end zone here. Chandler is a better
receiver than Madison. He could chip in four or five receptions without Madison on the field at all. So I've got a C grade on Chandler. Mostly, I'm more worried about Kevin O'Connell than I am about the Bengals. But maybe that's just totally ill founded, and we'll find out. I hope Chandler touches the ball twenty times. I'd be very happy about that. All right. Now, let's go to the player sitting out a potentially explosive game for the Minnesota Vikings.
TJ.
Hockinson. Get a load of this and credit Scott Fish for the stat as a starter in San Francisco. Nick Mullins average game to George Kittle. He played sixteen games in San Francisco. His average game to George Kittle seven catches, one hundred yards. Oh baby, If any of that's coming to TJ. Hockinson, I'm interested. But you might be saying, well, but what about that Bengals defense? How about this Bengals
have allowed the most yards to opposing tight ends. And get a load of the recent games by tight ends against the Bengals last week, Moli Cox touchdown. Week before Evan Ingram nine catches eighty two yards, first touchdown of the year. Week before that, Pat Fryermouth season highs nine catches one hundred and twenty yards. Week before that, Mark Anders got hurt. Week before that, Dalton Schultz seventy one yards. Week before that, Dalton Kincaid ten catches eighty one yards.
Week before that, George Kittle won one hundred and fifty yards against the Bengals.
TJ.
Hockinson my highest rated tight end this week. What about the rest of the Vikings receivers? Justin Jefferson, He's going to play through that chest injury sustained on Josh Dobbs's murder pass. Feeling a bit gunshy after last week, but murdered. Yes, it was a murder pass. Cincinnati is Pro Football Focus's third lowest graded coverage unit, but they do have some talent, including veteran cornerback Chidobe Auzier, who has been very good, allowing just one touchdown since Week two an average of
just twenty five yards in his coverage. Nick Mullens comes in, obviously that changes things, But get this, Nick Mullins highest passer rating on deep balls of longer than twenty yards. That makes me optimistic that we're going to get some of the down field abilities from Justin Jefferson we haven't seen since he and Kirk Cousins were playing together. B
great for Justin Jefferson, C grade for Jordan Adison. Now with Jefferson back, Addison's going to see fewer targets, but they'll be better targets because Jefferson's going to be commanding a lot better coverage. So that makes Addison kind of a do or die home run dart throw kind of player against the defense, allowing the highest rate of explosive plays over the past five weeks. Cornerback DJ Turner is allowed the tenth most yards per game among all cornerbacks.
Mullins can pass downfield. So Addison, who was giving you some deep ball production in the early parts of the season with Kirk Cousins, could snap back here with a decent game and he's startable. With a C grade for Mullins himself, I've got a segrade on him. If I've got an A on Hockinson, a B on Jefferson, a SEA on Addison, i can't give a bench grade to Nick Mullins. I've got to presume he's going to be
okay here. Every Bengals opposing quarterback has either scored or top three hundred passing yards or both, every one of them when last starting, which was a while ago. For Nick Mullins, as I mentioned, the deep ball was his best was his best asset, and I think he's gonna get some deep connections here. So a C grade on Nick Mullins. Let's go over to the Bengals side. I'm gonna start with the running game. Brutal matchup for Joe Mixon non DeAndre Swift runners averaging three point two yards
per carry against Minnesota. If that were apply to a full season. If you know DeAndre Swift, that performance didn't exist, the Vikings would be the best run defense in the league. They also allow only zero point three touchdowns per game ground and air to opposing running backs. Similar or even better runners than Joe Mixon have been just silenced by Minnesota recently, including Josh Jacobs, Javonte Williams, Alvin Kamara, Aaron Jones all dud games in recent weeks against the Vikings.
But Mixon can catch, and the Vikings are getting dinged through the air. They've been giving up eight receptions per game to opposing runners over the last three weeks. One matchup to watch Brian Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace. You're reigning defensive player of the week. He's undrafted, right, undrafted, insane. He has a homecoming game in Cincinnati on his birthday. What do you think of that doubleheader defensive homecoming birthday? Yeah?
I wish I was a more id leagues right now?
Okay, Joe Mix and c Grade. Let's go to the passing game. Obviously, Jake Browning's been It's a fantastic story, including a league high eighty eight percent adjusted completion percentage over the last three weeks. But this is a tricky matchup. Vikings are ranked fourth in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus, and they've surrendered multiple passing touchdowns in only two of their last eight games. During that span, they've allowed just
six passing touchdowns to nine interceptions. Now, Browning's rushing might help. He's a and that's something. He is a good scrambler and he could help out a little bit that way. But I can only get you to a B grade on Browning. I consider to see here, but I think there might be enough between rushing and passing to get him up to a B grade. Speaking of B grades, Jamar Chase. Even with last week's doug he's still averaging
a solid eighty six yards under Browning. And despite the Vikings d dominating week offenses the last three weeks, lee wide receivers are still doing okay. Cam Sutton six yards in a score, DJ Moore one hundred and fourteen yards on eleven catches. Adams DeVante Adams fifty three yards on seven catches seven catches. Good. So yeah, it feels like a be great for Chase. He says he's the best receiver in this game.
Yeah, he was asked, I'm gonna paraphrase a little, but you know, you and former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson are the two best receivers. What do you think about that? And he's like, no, I'm the best, the best, I'm the best. Here you go, it's gonna be quite the showdown. I'm excited.
Yeah, that's a little bolt boarding material. Oh yeah for Justin Jefferson. T higgins last touchdown was.
Anybody twenty twenty two, almost week two, week two, week two.
I got the two part right, Yeah, you're close. Browning just doesn't seem to have that rapport for any of his receivers outside of Jamar Chase. Higgins has just two and three catches in his two games with Browning. Outside spots can pay dividends. Against Minnesota, he'd face up against the Caleb Evans and Byron Murphy, and you know those are favorable matchups. Murphy's allowed the third most touchdowns of all cornerbacks, so I've got to see great on Higgins.
But honestly, his past production would not suggest that that's even possible. Here.
All right, let's get into this IRV Smith revenge game.
We're not gonna do that I know. I mentioned Browning does love his tight ends. Tanner Hudson is if you're in a real pinch, that is a possibility. He doesn't love Smith, No, nobody loves Smith. Tyler Boyd's on the bench. He's done nothing with Browning, and the Vikings are top ten and stopping opposing slot receivers. Chase Brown I love what we're seeing in splashes of use, but he's not getting enough carries and the matchup's difficult. We're gonna talk
more about Chase Brown later in the show. Let's go to the Giants taking on these Saints.
Brian Yeah, well, dive right into the passing game real quick again. Tommy Devitos might take a chance on me quarterback. He's gonna be a spicy meet the ball in this one. I like Windel Robinson. He's might take a chance on me. Wide receiver. Darren Waller expects to play. But you can't trust Darren Waller to finish the game.
No, I need to see a full game.
So he is on the bench. But Sakwon Barkley is not going to give Barkley an a. He's looking great as of late, and the Saints run defense has not looked great. Over their last three games, New Orleans has surrendered five hundred and twenty three combo yards and three total touchdowns to running backs. Again, that's over the last three games. That's what one hundred and seventy combo yards per game they're allowing.
That's their last three. That's shocking for the Saints that normally have a pretty good Yeah, they've fallen off big time.
So I love Barkley this week with the A over to the Saints side, I love their running back not quite as much as Barkley, So Alvin Kamara just to be Since Week nine, New York has allowed the fifth most rushing yards per game, the third highest explosive run rate, and the fourth highest yards after.
Contact per attempt.
But you know, Barkley, I'm sorry, Yeah, Kamara, it's really more about the the air production for him, and the Giants have only started one receiving touchdown to running backs. But Kamara is not your stereotypical receiving back. His sixty three catch are top fifteen among wide receivers, not running backs. But I just don't see that the a ceiling for Kamara. So I'm gonna give him a B in this matchup over to the wide receivers. It gets a little dicey here.
Chris o'lave. He hasn't practiced all week. They're still calling him time questionable.
If he plays, I will give him a C. If he's active.
The Giants are allowing nearly fifteen catches, one hundred and eighty yards and a touchdown per game to opposing wide receivers. Those are good numbers for the opposition. So that's why, like Rashid Shaheed, either way he gets a CEE is expected to make his return from injury. So see for Shaheed, see for a Lave. If he plays, if a Lave doesn't play, I'm so close to giving Lynn Bowden a C.
But he's more of your age at at what at Perry, No, not at Perry.
Lynn Bowden has been seeing running more routes, seeing more targets, all of that, so but I'm still gonna keep him on the bench. But he's a He's a DFS start for you out there, for you daily players. Lynn Bowden probably in your bare minimum. I like him as a cheap option. Taysom Hill expected to make his return to but there's there's no analysis you can do on Taysom Hill.
It's just like you plug him in and pray. So I'm not a very religious guy, so he's on the bench for me, as is deres Tark the end to each of the room.
Though, all right, Happy holidays, Denver. Bronco's taking on the Detroit Lions. I like parts of this Broncos passing game. Thor you already told us that Jerry Judy was you to take a chance on me wide receiver. What do you think about Russell Wilson in this one? I like him.
I did too. I'm gonna give him a bee.
I did flirt with an a on but I'm gonna stick with the b So the last five games for Russell Wilson, He's number two in the NFL and highly accurate throw rate, but a part of that is because the offense is skewed super conservative to help out the defense. One of the reasons that the Broncos have been playing better. The Broncos haven't thrown for two hundred yards in seven of their last nine games because of that, and eight of the last nine Bronco games have gone under the total.
In Vegas, so you don't get as much scoring, but there is an opportunity for a huge game here for dangerous script. The game script looks like it could be a shootout, and Russell is going to have to throw certainly more than he has been. And I mentioned before the Lions pass defense has been badly struggling since Week nine. That pass defense sixth worst in the NFL and allowing passing touchdowns and they've given up the third highest passer rating in the NFL. I give Javonte Williams a see
in this one. He's the RB twenty nine and fantasy points per game.
Because he hasn't scored.
Doesn't score, Yeah, he does get the solid workload, especially last three weeks, been playing sixty to seventy percent of the snaps. Not as good of a matchup for him against what is a much tougher Lions run defense. On their pass defense, Lions have a high tackling have high tackling efficiency numbers. They're also number eight and stuff rate
since the midway point of this season, Cortland Sutton. I give him an a Cortland Sutton against single high coverage this year, his first redshare jumps all the way up to twenty eight percent. Lions are number six in the NFL in single I coverage. I was talking about that with Judy since the midway point of the season. This is also a great matchup for Sutton, same way that it was for Judy. Sutton of course on the outside, but the Lion's boundary cornerback stink.
Cameron.
Sutton has given up one hundred and three passer rating this year, Jerry Jacob's given up one hundred and eight passer rating against on targets this year, and the Lions of AE as a team have allowed the most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers since week nine.
Love Courtland Sutton this week.
I do too. I'm with you. I, you and I are in lockstep on every one of those players for the Broncos. Love it.
Jared Goff moving over to the lines. I give him a c.
His volume is dipped here in recent weeks as the turnovers have gone up a bit. Goff only has an average of thirty attempts to the last two games, and this is not a great matchup for him. Since Week nine, the Broncos have allowed the fourth lowest passer rating and giving up the second fewest passing touchdowns. I'm honorous saying brown in part for this reason, I had to toggle him down to a B this week. Wide receiver five in Fantasy overall season long, but rough game last week,
as you guys know, only twenty one receiving yards. Another down game is coming here. Broncos pass defense. They've allowed the lowest PPR points per target to opposing slots, so they're particularly good against opposing slots, but a good pass defense in general. Sam Laporta Sammy ball game, my boy a always tight end three and fantasy points per game and an awesome matchup for him too. Broncos are dead last in the NFL against tight ends. Sam Laporte is
going off this week. Denver, by the way, you know, you were talking about the other defense as far as those tight ends.
Yeah, the Bengals, they've given up the most yards. I believe Denver's giving up the most fantasy points exactly.
Yeah.
And Denver's allowed ten straight tight ends to go over thirty receiving yards.
So you also have the flores falls and ceiling there.
David Montgomery, I'm giving David Montgomery in a as well. Just like ballgame, Montgomery, you have scored a touchdown every game he has finished healthy except for one. There's an opportunity, of course, for him to score multiple touchdowns in this game.
There is.
This also feels like a twenty plus.
Carry game for Montgomery, and contextually Broncos ranked dead last with twenty six Fantasy points per game allowed to opposing running backs. I give Jamer Gibbs a B. He's averaging eighty three total yards since week ten. The Lion staff has figured out how to start using him, get him out in space and everything like that, five plus targets in the receiving game in three of the last five games.
The explosive players are coming for Gibbs here. I think Broncos are at bottom ten defense in allowing explosive runs.
We'll give him a bee.
Yeah, that sounds about it sounds about right. I have a's on both of those guys, just the way you beat the Broncos on the ground all control. I can see both of them having a big game. Jimior Gibbs chips and some receptions. Montgomery scores some rushing touchdowns.
Ah.
I think they're both sitting on really nice games.
Here, and their offense have been skewing that way anyway, So I totally agree.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Hey, if you'm miasicitedly part of the show, you can always get all my play rankings which are updated every single day at Guillotine leagues dot com. It's completely free. You now can't join at Guillotine League in week fifteen, but you know, if you can go to the site, you can download the app, get all of the player rankings available for free. And maybe you're even alive in a Guillotine League, which would be an ideal scenario.
As well. Our number two of Fantasy Football Weekly and three Tough Questions coming up next our number two Fantasy Football Weekly. Paul Charchie and Brian Johnson throw an eye from with you. You can follow us on Twitter. I am at Well, the site formerly known as Twitter. I'm at Paul Charchi in Twitter forever. For me, it's Team Twitter forever. It's so dumb to change these names. And by the way, I've mentioned this on the show one other time, HBO, why would you change the name of HBO?
And then, oh, by the way, like cancel all the shows everybody likes, produce no new good shows, so everybody hates your new name and they all cancel their subscription.
Two worst brandings in the history of rebranding, so dumb.
Anyway, you can follow Brian at bt XJ and thorn eystrom Is at thor KU.
No, you got k at rock Chart.
All right, let's get into the three tough questions we encourage you to play along.
Tough question number one for.
Dynasty leaguers, give me somebody available that I can stash for next year.
Brian, Yeah, there's obviously not a lot left out there in most leagues, so I'm gonna go I'm gonna speak to the super flex or mandatory two quarterback dynasty leaguers out there, unless you're in a super deep one. Hendon Hooker should be available. Rookie quarterback for the Lions out of Tennessee, basically didn't play all year for because of a knee injury. I almost want to put Thor on the spot because he knows a lot more about Hooker
than I do. But I'm not saying he's gonna take Jared Goff's job, or it's going to be a quarterback competition going to the next season. But you never know what could happen to Goff and Hooker. Would Hooker have been a first second round pick if not for the injury, Thor, I think it would have been a second. So why not stash him and just see what happens in your two quarterback leagues.
He should be available, all right, he is. I like the availability part of that, all right, Thor, give me a dynasty for dynasty leaguers. Give me somebody who's largely available that I can pick up and stash for next year.
I'm also going to go with the guy who got drafted in April. I'm going with Jets running back Israel Abana Conda for this one. I think he could be the twenty twenty four Rico Daudo abound A Conda, a two hundred and sixteen pounder who had a nine point six RATS in otherwids tested ninety six size adjusted percentile coming in. He's also a home run hitter. I mean, like his calling card is speed. I comped him in
the pre draft process that Tevin Coleman. Very similar game, Like they both run upright, they get you know, once they get into space, it's just they're looking for that straight line to the goal line and then they just want to run as fast as they can. A Bona Konda is likely to be the one be back in the Jets backfield next year because Dalvin Cook is a free agent. Breece Hall will be RB one in that scenario. Obviously Breeze went down then if he would be getting
the bell call role. But I would also say Nathaniel Hackett historically has used two running backs. Yeah, good point, So a Bona Conna could factor in there. And by the way, it's going to be a Jets offense that is way, way way better next year because mister Aaron Rodgers is coming back and Zach Wilson's going to be banished again. So I really like a Bona Coonda For Dynasty guys.
That's an interesting angle. You're kind of selling you that they cut Michael Carter, So you know that tells me. That tells me that they like Izzy for sure. For my answer and we'll call it the correct answer. Well, first, Jill Any Woods, who I talk about all the time. You know, it's a tragically lost season for him with a multiple re injuries to his hamstring, but ultimately Cincinnati running back Chase Brown looks great. You know in college
we saw a compact runner with great balance footwork. He had a little bit of burst last year to Illinois, Brown ranked second in the country with forty eight explosive plays. And we've learned about Brown thanks for his recent upchick upticking usage in Cincinnati almost five yards per carry. Dude can catch, you know, he caught a bit at Illinois as well. He can catch, and you get him into space and you got a problem on your hands. Kind of like Chase Brown here. If you believe like me,
Joe Mixon is just like slowly faltering. We don't know. It's mix and status for next year, you might not even be on this team. Chase Brown could be the lead running back for the Bengals with a Joe Burrow led offense next season.
He's a home run hitter for sure. Nine point eight ras for Chase Brown in the process this year.
All right, like that, we'll call that correct.
An tough question Number two, what's.
The right tie breaker in the playoffs for two teams that tie?
We begin with thor so I go by standings this because I feel like regular season, Yeah, the regular season standings, because I feel like the team that finished higher in the standings you have the fact a home field advantage, ergo, you would get the tiebreaker on this one, so by record first them by point score.
That's always my default tie breaker after record.
Brian, what's the right tiebreaker for the playoffs when two teams have the same score.
I used to be a points guy because I always thought overall points was more indicative of how good your team is as opposed to a regular season record where you.
Can get lucky or unlucky.
But I'm going to go the route, and I'm not in any of these leagues I wish I was, at least don't think I am. But with the highest scoring bench player. If we were to tie in our week fifteen matchup, it's sort of like a hybrid best ball approach, So I would go by the highest scoring bench player. I feel in the fair Unless you're playing in like whole point leagues, it's still hard to tie, but it's in edge case scenario. But if it happens, I'm going with the highest scoring bench player.
The most important thing is to have an established tie breaker. You probably don't know what Most leagues now score to the hundreds place, so it's uncommon. It used to be very common. But here's the thing. I've seen friendships end over tie breakers in the playoffs because your league didn't have a tie breakers set up, it's a bad deal. So establish your tiebreaker now if you haven't already now. I don't like any tiebreaker involves backups, because your backups
aren't necessarily there to score points for you. For example, if I've got mix in, I want to Chase Brown handcuff, and that's the reason Chase Brown's on my team. I remember one year, years ago when I wasn't a whole points scoring league that we used backups, and so in the championship game, I dropped everybody and just had kickers. I just had nothing but kickers as my backups to get your points, you know, out of my backups. I mean,
it's just I and the backups. Again, don't like the backups the regular season, so throwor to your point, the better team was established over the course of the season. The regular season record the winning percentage of the overall points. But that tells me who was better, not who is is better. So to me, it's all about the starters. I don't like the backups. I like the regular season. I give you the starters in this game this week, So how can I measure when we've already tied Thor
and I have already tied. How can we do it? I use most yards of your starters. If you play with the kicker and defense, just throw those out. Most leagues don't anymore. If you do, just throw those out most yards between my starters. Because I'm trying to make the best starting lineup, Thors, trying to make the best starting lineup. Whoever had the most yards, You've got the best team this week?
Got tough question number three.
That's too much math for me, it's too much math for you.
Wow, did you go to Arizona State? Is this an English Major? Sky? You?
MA?
Should should higher seeded playoff teams be allowed to pick their opponents? Back to Brian first for this one. No, do you get to pick whoever you want to play? No, this is weird to me.
Initi was like, I'm not in a league like this, and then I realized, I am in a league like this, and we're in the same league. It's a Best Ball Empire league, and I am buying for the number one seed, So I guess I'll gladly pick my opponent.
But I don't know. It's just it's a little too it's too far off the tracks. For me, whatever analogy, metaphor you want to use.
Just basically, no, I think it's kind of bizarre, but hey, I'll take advantage of it if it presented the opportunity.
But overall I'm against it. I remember when PPR was too far off the tracks for people. All right, thor should higher seeded playoff teams be allowed to pick their opponents?
So this is the first time I was ever confronted with this idea. I guess I play in two basic of leagues. This idea is incredible and it should be implemented everywhere for numerous different reasons. First of all, the shade potential is absolutely incredible. Number one, uh but but number two, I feel like the teams that finish at the top, who would have the first picks in it?
They've earned that.
Why wouldn't they get to pick their opponent? I I love the idea all the way around. All right, I have several thoughts. Your first, Okay, some people, the NFL doesn't work that way. You don't get I don't care. The NFL has nothing to do with this conversation. Yeah, honestly, this is you know, this is nothing. No two things alike. Second thing, I'm the number one seed. A lot of teams that A lot of times the team that you
know rolled in as the sixth seed or whatever. However, man teams you got in, you know that team's hot right now. You know it's not like the sixth seed right now. It could often because oftentimes still a very very good team and not the team that I want to get matched up with.
Yes, I love that it adds new strategy. Now I got to like go through all the lineups. I gotta do like projected outcomes. I got to try to figure out which which opponent is going to be worse and then if you still get it wrong. Oh that's why it's a given for me. I know it's I will picked the wrong team. So I don't want to pick the league Brian and I were talking about right now. It's an Empire League where if you win back to back years, you win this rolling pot and the whole
thing ends. Last year, I'm in the championship and I've got I picked. I get to pick my opponent. It's a week before the championship. I guess, so I get to pick my opponent. I chose wrong, got the wrong team, knocked myself out or else I could, I would have won the I would have won the whole thing, and if nature just run its course, you would have been that champion. I don't know for sure, but probably I had a really good team. So anyway, I think it's
super fun. It adds cool new strategy. It doesn't have to be like the NFL. Let's let those highest seated team pick their opponents.
I have a clarification question, would they Would the second and third teams be guaranteed to pick or could the top team be Like I want the number two seed right away?
Yeah? You could. Yeah, you could do that. Wow. Yeah, you don't have to pick like the SEP bottom half. You can pick anybody you want if you're a team won. I love this idea. It's super fun, isn't it. I love this. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. All right, let's get back to the matchups. Hey, it's me Bay taken on Green Bay. How about Shot White suddenly going bellcow on us? I did not see that coming. Over the past three weeks, he's averaging twenty carries and he's
chipping in three receptions per game. He's scored in five of the six games. For a guy who was incapable of scoring last year and most of this year, Shot White turning it around. Green Bay has allowed six rushing touchdowns to running backs in their last five games. White will be aided by the loss of well potential loss of Packers linebacker Kay Walker if he can't go, We're
going to monitor his status in this one. Packer's own of three teams to not allow a receiving touchdown to a running back this season, and their scoreless streak goes back nineteen games, so they've not given up a receiving touchdown for nineteen straight games. So White will not help us that way, and that's part of the way. I've got a B grade on White instead of an A grade on White. To the Packer game, Let's go start
with Baker Mayfield. Even with quarterbacks Eric Stokes and Jay r Alexander injured and then green Bay traded away, Rasuell Douglas has been great with the bill. The Packers have held opposing passers in check almost every week. No passers top two scores all year. Only one is top two hundred and sixty yards on the season. Green Bay allowing the fourth lowest a dot average distance to throw at
just seven and see. I just think Baker Mayfield's overall upside very limited against what's been a shockingly and shockingly competent Packers secondary despite a dearth of talent. Let's go to Mike Evans with a weird dud last week. That doesn't make sense now unless Alexander Stokes come back. It leaves the combo of Valentine and Valentine as you're outside cornerbacks once again, and they've been pretty bad over the
last five weeks. They have bottom fifty PFF coverage grades, but they've only given up two scores between them and Evans' biggest values is a red zone target, where he's a top ten wide receiver target. I can only get you to a B grade on Evans in a weirdly tough matchup. Here's your sneaky play this week. Chris Godwin is a game time decision. He's got a knee injury practiced on Friday, but they have said there's still a decent chance he
won't go. Trey Palmer Burner. Trey, is he ever a Burner? Now?
He's been?
He runs, He dominates the slot usage. He runs almost two thirds of his plays from the slot. Double the slot routes from Evans and Godwin. Packers are getting dominated by slot receivers, including when Dale Robinson last week went berserk on him. I'm on Rap Saint Brown before that, Keenan Allen before that. Slot receivers getting it out.
Now.
All those guys are are a lot more polished and experienced than Trey Palmer. But you could get a breakout game from him. And if you need a dart throw Trey Palmer, let's go to the Green Bay side. Jordan Love coming off a bad Monday Night game, but his prior three games are very good, and the Bucks secondary is the ideal recipe for a quick turnaround. The Bucks ranked thirty first and passing yards allowed twenty eighth and fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. They ranked twenty seventh in
covers by Pro Football Folk. They've given up a league worst six quarterback rushing touchdowns, and Love's mobility could definitely factor in here and augment this box score. Be great for Jordan Love. I'm starting Jordan Love over Patrick Mahomes in one of my guillotine leagues. Who that is gonna be? That's Love it if I if the ship goes down on that I'm gonna feel pretty bad. All right, Let's go to Jayden Reid and Romeo Dobs, both cornerbacks for Tampa.
Jamel Dean and Carlon Davis are questionable follow their status. That leaves something called Zion McCollum as the only healthy outside cornerback that plays meaningful snaps, and over the last five weeks, he's Pro Football Focus is fifteenth lowest graded cornerback. So I love the matchups here, and Reid's getting carries about one hundred yards of rushing work in the last month. Both Dobbs and Reads viable against a defense that ranks
thirty first in yards allowed to the position. Drake London crushed Tampa last week. They've allowed five one one hundred yard receiving performances in their last six games. Game on Jaden Reed and Romeo Dobbs with B grades in this one. Christian Watson is not expected to play. He is doubtful. We don't think he's gonna go in this one. You could dart throw at at Wisntavious Wicks, but he's also not healthy. Malik Heath he scored last week. You want
to go that far? Be my gad I don't now you know what you can't do very easily on Tampa's run the ball, and AJ Dillon's got groin injury, thumb injury, Aaron Jones is trying to come back from knee injury. It's all bad for me. Tampa's a good run defense, they're giving him just three point seven yards per carries since Week six, and even heavy volume backs are not getting any headway. Even if so, even if Dylan or Jones one or the other starts, it doesn't mean that
they're gonna have any kind of productivity here. Dylan has zero top ten finishes this year in Fantasy, and he's his average finish. Get this. J Dillon's average Fantasy finish running back thirty one, and he's spend the lone starter. With Aaron Jones missing most of the year. Jones has only two games with more than eleven touches. And my fear is every time they give Aaron Jones a bunch
of work, he gets hurt. So even if Dylan is out, I don't think they're gonna give Jones requisite work here, so he's on the bench too.
I don't believe, and producer Brett would know, but I don't think the Packers have had all of their offensive weapons healthy for no, because Christian Watson missed Week one, Aaron Jones got hurt in Week one, and then ever since then it's been an.
Offensive line span. Yeah, Luke Musgrave, he gets hurt at I have to scroll several times just to get through our injury report that way. Yeah, it's it's bad news. Next year, Packers are going to be a tough team.
You know.
Love's gonna get better. All the young receivers get better, they get into all the injuries of this year, it's they're gonna be They're gonna be a handful next year. When we come back San Francisco taking on the Arizona Cardinals. Deebo Samuel the highest scoring Fantasy wide receiver in the last month. Will it continue? He had a zero catch game last time these teams met. Find out when we come back. Welcome back Fantasy Football weekly playoff week. It's
also rain week. Lookout for weather a pre kickoff. Anything on the East Coast is got weather. And then the Monday night er is shaping up in Seattle. Shocking, Seattle could have cold rain in December. It's even raining in Minnesota. In December.
Yeah, yeah, you gotta look for the win to anything over twelve miles per hour statistically, data wise, going back years, it affects the passing game, and the higher you get up, closer you get to twenty, it starts to really get wonky.
Yeah, we haven't had a snow situation yet this year, which is kind of a bomb. Marks that love snow games, But you know, we talk about a lot. You know, rain and wind are are bigger threats a lot of times than snow, so you know it. You know they're all different, but SnO help offenses. In some cases they can.
Yeah, there's a whole thing of the snow over, but you know we're going over on that because it's really hard for defenders to get their footing.
Oh Lashawn McCoy had one of the most epic snow game performances of all time. I believe he's with Buffalo. It might have been with Philly. I think he's with Philly in Buffalo. It's like three feet of snow. No one's gonna do anything, but he went off.
Yeah, I'll never forget the Tom Brady like fifty two pointer he put up on Tennessee in a deep deep snow game where everybody was like, oh, I don't know if I could if I dare start any Patriots, and I just went berserk. And I think the Titans got shut out in that game. I would imagine Randy Moss helped out with that, right, it might have been that era.
San Francisco takes on Arizona Brian and as I mentioned going into the break, Deebo Samuel played eighty five percent of the snaps and no catches in the first one. Now he comes in as Fantasy Ball's hottest receiver. Yeah, he's on fire.
Going back a little further against the Cardinals over his last two games. So they did play once this year in Week four, San Francisco won thirty five to sixteen. That was the game Deebo had no catches, But across his last two games against the Cardinals, he's total two catches for twenty scoreless yards and four carries for ten scoreless yards. So history is not on Deebo's side right now. But you're not benching Deebo Samuel on the heater that
he is on. So I got a B on him and a B on Brandon Ayukhu had six catches, one hundred and forty eight yards in the first meeting, and more recently, Ayuk has scored end or topped one hundred yards in six straight games. Wow, Ayuk is just an absolute steal draft a steal back in August, probably one of the top ones at wide receiver. Sticking with the passing game over to George Kittle, I almost gave him a seed, but I couldn't do it in the tight
end wastelein. I'm gonna give Kittle a b But Kittle had just one catch for nine scoreless yards in the first meeting, and the Cardinals have held tight ends under forty yards and five straight games, but Arizona has surrendered four tight end touchdowns during that same five game span. So you're not gonna sit Kittle. You're definitely not sitting
Brock Purty gonna give him a bee. He attempted just twenty one passes in the first meeting, but completed twenty of them for two hundred and eighty three yards and a touchdown. He also added a short score on the ground. Purty is my.
He's not my number one this week.
Yeah, he's not my real life MVP, but he's Fantasy's MVP. To me right now, at least among quarterbacks based on where he's drafted. He's he's having a season that Patrick Mahomes should be should be having, Purty is, but.
Patrick Mahomes isn't having the season that Baker Mayfield's having, no or a lot of We won't get into Mahomes right now.
We'll get into a little later, right but up, I just had to be on Purty because Christian McCaffery gets the fantasy.
Fonsie a one.
Seventy seven combo yards and four total touchdowns in the first meeting, and we don't have to go into Christian McCaffrey anymore. Over to the Cardinals side, starting with James Connor. Gonna give him a c Connor has averaged seventeen touches since his Week ten return and remains the volume base
play regardless of matchup. But this should be tough sledding against the forty nine ers, who since Week ten have the fourth lowest missed tackles per attempt, the second highest stuff rate, and have given up the second fewest rushing yards per game. But there are injuries on the defensive side for San Francisco, They're gonna be without both starting defensive tackles Eric Armstead and Javon Hargrave. They'll also be
missing strong side linebacker or In Berks. He has been ruled out, So Connor is still startable with the C and Trey McBride, of course is startable.
Getna give him a bee.
He only had one catch in the first meeting, but that's because zach Ert saw ten targets, so that volume should go McBride's way. But a tough matchup on paper. But again, the forty nine ers defense is dinged up pretty good. But Saffan Cisco allowing less than five catches and forty yards per game to opposing tight ends. But no way you're gonna sit Trey McBride. There is a way you're gonna sit Markis Brown if you have better options.
I will give him a C grade. Though he had seven catches for ninety six yards in the first meeting, he should see similar volume in a likely positive game. Script for the Carolina passing game, I'm sorry the Cardinals passing game. The forty nine Ers have allowed these second most receptions to wide receivers and San Francisco starting cornerback Tarvarius Ward could miss this game.
With a groin injury.
They're saying he's expected to play, still listed as questionable, but likely won't be one hundred percent if you play, So I will give Brown the starting grade with the Sea, and just to see for quarterback Kyler Murray, who has been pretty spotty as a passer in his four games since returning, as he hasn't thrown for multiple scores yet, but his legs have kept him relevant, with a rushing
touchdown in three of those four games played this year. Again, this is a tough matchup, but a lot of injuries on the San Francis go side. But one long run could save Maury's day. So you're still gonna start him with the Sea.
All right, Washington taking on the Rams store this figures will be a one sided affair. Washington's without Brian Robinson, who's been ruled out of this game. I don't think you are touching any part of the running game because the game script's going to be all passes for a team that only passes anyway, sure.
Is, I'm giving your boys Sam Howell a B grade in this one, QB seven and fantasy this year, and man, yeah, Chargers blowing the horn for him in the offseason, So got to give you a credit on that one. Sam Howell number one in passing attempts, he is number three in airy yards, and the Rams have an average pass defense. Howell's guaranteed to have the volume to attack that average defense.
But give him a bee.
I will say, if you're in a desperate situation, you get started. Antonio Gibson, who stepping into the limelight with Brian Robinson out with that hamstring injury. Last week when Robinson got injured, Gibson out touched Chris Rodriguez fourteen to three before the rookie Rodriguez got the last four.
Touches in a blowout loss.
Yeah.
I also think Gibson's going to get ample receiving targets in this game. Recall at Memphis, Antonio Gibson reever.
Yeah.
Terry McLaurin, I'm gonna give him a C Fantasy's wide receiver thirty eight, but he's been trending down. McLaurin is not finished as a top thirty six Fantasy receiver in any week since Week nine and no touchdowns since Week eve.
Despite the best quarterbacking of his career, the most prolific court and all of them though, though so Howell.
Sorry didn't like Howell's going off and charged one of the greatest calls since I've been on the show by you. But how is Howell having such a good year. But McLaurin, Jan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, they're all outside like the top thirty.
Yeah, wide receivers. It's because of the ball distribution, right, It's crazy, so many different receivers that no one of them is piling up decent stats. Curtis Samuel's been the most fantasy relevant of the bunch.
Especially recently. That's why I'm giving him a bee.
The work his workload has been increasing as mclaurin's has been going down in terms of the target gets. Since week twelve, Samuel has a twenty five percent target share and a twenty four percent first read share, and he's averaging eighty three receiving yards per game during that span. John Dodson, sorry to say, you gotta stay on the bench. Clear wide receiver three in Washington, widersoft fifty six in fantasy.
But yeah, he's got to stay on the bench. Logan Thomas, though I'm gonna give him a b there's a chance for a big bounce back game for him after he had only two catches in the last two games combined before the bye. But Logan Thomas had five tight end one weeks earlier this season, and the Rams are number three and fantasy points allowed to tight ends. Moving to the Rams, Matthew Stafford, which was charged to take a chance on the guy, which I totally agree with. I
was gonna give him an a in this gad on him. Yeah, twenty three plus Fantasy points and three straight. I think he gets to four in this one against that horrid Washington pass defense. Pooka Nakoa, My boy, I gotta give myself the peacock on that one. Great a of course, Fantasy's wide receiver eleven Key's.
Your your Fantasy MVP. Good Nakua and of.
Course the rookie of the year seven plus targets in every single game this year, by the way, needs to average eighty six receiving yards per game in the last four games to break Jamar Chase's rookie record.
I think he's top in one hundred in this one.
Commander's rank dead last in defensive drop back EPA truly truly ran to pass defense. Cooper cup I'm also going to give him an A in this one because it's just such a great matchup. Wide receiver twenty seven in Fantasy points per game last two games, averaging seven catches for seventy seven yards and a touchdown. Again, awesome matchup Wash and particularly for guys coming out of the slot like cup Is, Washington is dead last in defending slot
since the halfway point of the season. Tyler Higby, I'm gonna give him a grade seat if he plays. He missed last week with the neck injury, has returned to practice as a full participant as of Thursday, so I expect him to play. But you have to monitor that Boomer bust tight end two this week, so I'll give him a grade of CE there.
And then Kyron Williams.
I've given everyone on the panel credit until Brian at this point, Brian, shout out to you for the Kyra and Williams one.
Thank you.
Great another great a matchup for Kyron in this one. He's RB two in Fantasy points per game, averaging one hundred and forty three total yards per game. Since his return, Washington's run defense has been circling the toilet ever since the trades per in particular, if Chase Young and Montes sweat anyone can run on them, Kyrin gets dang near one hundred percent.
Of the snaps. He's gonna go off again.
Chiefs sake on the Patriots. This one take long, although well, let me ask you this. Okay, So the Chiefs have this weird emotional thing at the end of last week's game. Do you think that's going to spark a resurgence? Is this like the emotional spark that they needed?
I don't think so.
Something seems off with them, and then Mahomes complaining about it.
It's like, bro, he was clearly offside. What are you talking about.
I didn't like it. I don't think this is going to be the spark.
But some do. They've been winding about it all week too. I think move on.
Travis Kelsey's more, you know, motivated because he couldn't attend Taylor Swift's birthday party.
So now he's really got to make up for that. He's like promised for like four touchdowns. I've moved Kelsey down to a B grade first time this year. I had already moved Mahomes down a couple of times. This is the first B grade for Kelsey. Here's why, only getting twenty percent of Patrick Mahomes' red zone targets. What the hell? Come on? Eighty percents going somewhere other than
Travis Kelsey. That's absurd. New England's been any lead tight end defense this year, allowing the fourth fewest fantasy points and tight ends in an average of just twenty nine yards to tight ends in the last six games. What's more, one tight end has scored against the Patriots all year. B grade, Travis Kelcey B grade, Patrick Mahomes. Belichick rallying
his secondary back to excellent status. They had suffered that loss of christ Gonzalez earlier in the year and Matthew Judon in the same game, and they struggled for about a month. Then this past month or so they've been much better. Over the last five weeks. They've given up the six fewest passing yards, just one hundred and ninety seven per game, and just two passing touchdowns in five weeks. That's all Fredyk. It's gone wrong with the Patriots. It's
not the defense. So just the B grade. I'm Patrick Mahomes orshe Rice comes in with a B grade. He's hauled in at least seven catches in three straight games. He's establishing himself as the go to wide out. He's averaging eighty one yards and two scores in those three games. Rice's top ten in the league in red zone looks with seventeen this year, and he's got a massive seventy
seven percent completion rate on those red zone passes. But the Patriots only give up one passing touchdown per game to all positions, Rice runs from the slot the most often, where he's going to face off against cornerback Miles Bryant
in a slightly plus matchup. Bryant gives up an eighty two percent catch rate, which is promising B grade Rashee Rice and the running games on the bench here in part because Clyde Edwards layer and Jerk McKinnon split split carries, but also because this just's been a great Patriots run defense all year. They ranked third by Pro Football Focus fifth and run stuff win rate. Don't start those guys on the New England side. There's only one startable player.
That's Ezekiel Elliott, who got ninety one percent of the snaps last week, and with no other running back logging or rushing attempt seven straight opponent opposing runners have underperformed their season averages against Kansas City, Frankly has not looked good. He's averaging just three point seven yards per carry and negative rushing yards over expectation. He's eighth worst in yards
over expectation. The Chiefs allow four point eight yards per carry, so there's an opportunity, But I don't love Zeke here, and I can only get you to a C grade the entire passing games on the bench for the Patriots. Obviously, Bailey Zappy looked much improved last week, but Kansas City's pass defense is very good, and I see a big
regression coming. Even if de Mario Douglas returns six of the last eight quarterbacks to face Kansas City zero or one passing touchdown to leave all those guys nobody's playoff worthy from the Patriots passing game.
The first Monday night football game in history to be flexed out of Monday Night, I believe was this game? Wasn't I think show how excited should be about this game?
Yeah? And that's they moved the Chiefs on Monday Night. That takes it says a lot. We come back Dallas and Buffalo a signature game for this week. Points Galore is how it feels. Will find out if Brian agrees when we come back. Final segment of the first week in the playoffs. Fantasy Football Weekly Back to the matchups, including a Biggie Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills. Brian, what do you think on this game? Let's start with Tony Pollard if you don't mind, no, yeah, let's start going
in game here. I'm less enthused about him than I have in the past few weeks. What do you think? Yeah?
Not the best matchup for Hollard, but Pollard has salvaged his season over the last month. Should have had a touchdown for the fourth straight game last week, but was vultured by Rico Dowdell yet again. But a tough matchup for Pollard here against the Bills, who have only allowed two running backs to reach seventy rushing yards over their last seven games. But Buffalo has allowed the fourth most receptions and receiving yards to running backs.
So I like that for Pollard. So he gets to be obviously.
Like CD lamb nay love cd A not getting into that anymore.
Don't have to. He's going to flame Tarron Johnson in the slots. It's my number one ranked wide receiver this week.
As for the other wide receivers, Brandon Cooks and Michael Gallup, I have them both on the bench, Gallup the more
obvious bench. Some might consider starting Cooks, but Cooks has cooled considerably as of late, and since week nine, Buffalo has the fourth highest rate of too high, and since week eight against two high, Cooks has disappeared with only a seven point four percent target share and zero point seventy five yards per route run is not a lot, and that's statu is courtesy of Derek Brown the Fantasy Pro is a great stat there, So I'm benching Cooks, not benching Jake Ferguson, though he gets a be Fergie
now leads all tight ends in red zone targets, and the Bills have yielded the third most red zone targets in goal to go scenarios. And the Bills haven't faced any tight ends of note recently, so their numbers aren't scary except for a guy named Travis Kelsey who they saw last week. He saw ten targets for six catches eighty three yards. That's hopefully a safe floor for Ferguson here and Dak Prescott an A for him. Safety Michael Hyde week to week with a neck injury for Buffalo,
he's unlikely to play. Bodes even better for Dak, so an easy A for him. Over to the Buffalo side, starting with James Cook, he gets a C. With Joe Brady as the new offensive coordinator, Cook has averaged nineteen touches for one hundred and fourteen combo yards love it per game. He has been on a major upswing, but this is a tough matchup the Cowboys allowing only one hundred combo yards per game to opposing running backs. That's the third fewest. So just a C for Cook and
just a B for Stefan Diggs. Here's diggs fantasy finishes over his last four games.
This is not good.
Wide receiver fifty three wide receiver sixteen wide receiver, fifty three, wide receiver fifty five. Those are not the fifty burgers we are looking for for Stefan Diggs, and unfortunately this isn't a bounce back spot necessarily, but saving grace here is number one. Wide receivers have had good games against Cowboys over the last two weeks. Aj Brown had nine catches for ninety four yards, and DK metcalf well, he had a great game. He had six catches for one
hundred and thirty four yards and three touchdowns. Hopefully Digs can settle somewhere in the middle of those two stat lines. But either way, you're not gonna bench him. Gabe Davis gonna give him a C as and see you in hell if you start him.
So that's not a letter grade. That's see.
You cannot trust Gabe Davis in the playoffs here, so he is on the bench. Dalton Kincaid is not though to give him a c.
Ah. I'm worried about him with knocks back. He did nothing. Last week.
He did nothing, but he still ran roughly seventy percent of the routes.
Over the last five games.
The Cowboys have allowed just thirty seven yards per game to opposing tight ends.
That is not good either.
But I'm more concerned about the Cowboys than I am Dawson Knox. But if you have a better option than Kincaid, certainly starred him, but most do not, so I'm still gonna give him a C in this shootout. And lastly, Josh Allen gets a bee outside of the Gino Smith experience in Week thirteen. The Cowboys have surrendered just one, just one passing touchdown across their last three games. But Allen is going to get it done with his arms and legs here.
But there's hope for that.
Five of the last six quarterbacks to face Dallas have rushed for at least thirty yards and door a touchdown.
Thor It's always tricky with Lamar Jackson because sometimes the Ravens play a great game and then he passes for one hundred and eighty yards and he runs for forty and he doesn't score any touchdowns and your team sunk. But man, Jacksonville's a juicy opponent, and I've got him ranked inside my top five at the quarterback position this week.
I think it's game on, absolutely a big, big, big games coming for him. That Jake's allowed the third most Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and Jackson's obviously been great. QB one last week in Fantasy also given an A to his top receiver, Zave Flowers. Get that since Mark Andrews went down, Flowers has run every single route that the Ravens have had with an eye opening twenty six percent target share. Gotta keep starting him. Is
jaa likely? I give him a bee. The last two weeks he's been tight end eighteen and tight end three in Fantasy and this is a great matchup. That jaguarres allowed the eighth most Fantasy points per game and the second highest yards per reception to opposing tight ends. Keton Mitchell, My boy, give him a bee. So it is tough to predict to his workload. Last week he only played thirty three percent of the snaps, but because he's a
home run hitter, he accrued the yards anyways. Last week he had sixty two total yards and just ridiculou less lee efficient six yards after contact per attempt in the NFL as a rookie, Wow, he's gonna light up the Jaguars because they're they're really bad at what he is best at. Jaguars are dead last and explosive run rate allowed since week nine, and that's what Keith Don is. A home run hitter. Moving over to the Jaggs, Trevor Lawrence. I got a see grade on him. Ankle injury very
clearly still hampering him. Can't scramble, can't throw on run. You pen him in really can't drive into his throws. Lawrence had a brutal forty seven point eight PFF passing grade last week, five point one yards per attemp, three interceptions, and the matchup is quite bad.
Yeah.
The Ravens allow an NFL low five point six yards per attempt and they leave the NFL with forty nine sacks. Pretty good combination of that, yeah, exactly. I'm also going to give Calvin Ridley a great to see. Only four catches for fifty three yards last week. Obviously Lawrence was compromised. Gonna be another down game with the Ravens elite pass defense coming in here. Ridley will be opposed by Marlin Humphrey, the stud. Humphrey is number six in yards allowed per
coverage snap. So now looking good there. You could start Jay Jones if you're desperate. Twenty five percent targets here last two games with Christian Kirk out. He also averages more than one deep target and one red zone target per game, but of course, the Ravens pass defense tempers the expectations, as they do for Evan Ingram. I also give him a C Fantasy tight end six, and coming off a really big week, he's number two in receptions at number five in receiving yards among tight ends over
the entire season, but again bad matchup. Ravens allowed the fifth fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Lastly, Travis Etn I give him a b RB six in Fantasy for the season.
Yeah, but lately it's not as good.
Lately, not as good.
He's only averaging sixty eight total yards per game since Week ten. This is, though, I think, in my opinion, a sneaky solid matchup for Etn in this one, just because the Jaguars, I think are gonna run funnel to avoid that awesome Ravens secondary.
Yeah, volume will be there for you ten for sure. Yeah, just the explosive plays have been the same.
No.
Yeah, and it's I don't know if he's just wearing down over the course of a long season or whatever the case is, but it's that part's been disappointing. The Monday night or is Philadelphia at Seahawks rain expected, but not much you're gona be able to do about it by Monday night.
A J.
Brown is an obvious A DeVonta Smith Zoe's a much more tricky play over the last five weeks, Seattle's allowed the fifth most touchdowns per game to opposing receivers, which is good. And Seattle's cornerbacks Trey Brown, Devin Witherspoon already Burns all questionable for this game. If they're gonna miss you know, it could be game on for DeVonta Smith with a really nice game here. What worries me a
little bit is Dallas Goddard coming back. When Goddard was in earlier in the season, Smith wasn't doing much and when God it went out Smith's productivity and fantasy points, we went way up Goddard's back. That worries me a bit. I've got to be grade on Smith. If those cornerbacks don't go we d up him to an A. Again, it's Monday night. Can't do anything about it at that point, but yeah, we duped him to an A in that scenario. Dallas Goddard for himself right back to the huge workload.
He got eighty four percent of the tight end snaps last week, but it only materialized into four catches. Second game off injury should be better for Dallas Goddard. Seahawks are a bottom ten team against tight end receptions and tight end yards allowed. Including big games from George Kittle Jake Fergus in the past two weeks, Goddard averaging just one red zone target per game, and that really caps his upside. They just don't throw them anywhere near the stripes.
So I can only get you to a C grade on Dallas Goddard in this one. So where does that leave Jalen Hurts. We've talked about everybody else so far in the passing game that matters body, he looks increasingly hurt, battered, tired. He's thrown zero or one passing touchdown in three of the last four games. Fortunately this is I love the matchups for aj Brown, I like it for DeVonta Smith.
I mentioned the injuries to the secondary and three mobile quarterbacks to face Seattle, Daniel Jones early in the season, Josh Dobbs and then Lamar Jackson all top forty three rushing yards. So I've still got a B grade on Jalen Hurt. There's a lot of big range of outcomes here, and there is some danger with Hurts. This week, let's go to DeAndre Swift, quietly murdering fantasy owners the past basically two months. He's gone two straight games so without
a broken tackle. He has not top passed eighty rushing yards since Week three. He has one touchdown in his last seven games. That's all DeAndre Swift is getting you. And I think people have just been thrown him in the lineup and just forgetting about it because he's DeAndre Swift and he's the starting running back for the Eagles. It has not really been working out for him at all. Fortunately, Seattle is allowing the six most fantasy points per game
to opposing backfields. They ranked twenty first in run defense by Pro Football Focus. They've allowed twenty eight receptions to running backs in their last five games. But they're not even thrown to Swift that much anymore. Gainwol's getting more catches and they're just not And now with Goddard back, that's that many fewer catches to go to Swift. And I can only get you to a C grade on
DeAndre Swift. Let's go over to Seattle, A grade for dk Metcalf because of his scoring prowess, and at B grade for Tyler Lockett, and I'll talk about both of them here. Both excellent matchups against the Eagles formerly formidable cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry Man for two guys who were just shut down cornerbacks last year. They've regressed all the way down to PFF grades of forty eighth and one hundred and second in coverage by Pro Football Focus.
The Eagles allow the second most yards to wide receivers one hundred and ninety three per game. They've allowed multiple wide receiver touchdowns and five of the last six, so both guys could score. I like both Metcalf and Lockett. Lockett's only got the two touchdowns on the season, I think, and that's why I can't get him to an A. But both you know, Metcalf's a lock a, and I like Lockett here too, you know Wels. I like Jackson Smith and Jigbo running out of the slot a very
positive matchup against Bradley Roby. He ranks his Pro Football Focuses eighty sixth quarterback cornerback. Although I'll know he is not allowed a touchdown in his coverage, so which is good. He's played six games no touchdowns allowed. Philadelphia allows the most fantasy points to slot receivers. That's why Jackson Smith and Jigba b grade on this one. So if I've got a's and b's on all the receivers. I gotta like Drew Lock and Gino Smith. I've got B grades
on whoever ends up starting in this game. Six straight quarterbacks have thrown multiple touchdowns. Granted most of them the really good quarterbacks because he wass have played to Murderer's row of teams. Lock through two touchdowns on last week's start, and Lock always throws some bad passes. I mean, that's part of his deal. He looked pretty good, though, but
I thought overall he did look pretty good. Game plan is going to tilt heavily towards the pass here, so if you're in a pinch, and by the way, the Eagles see the most pass attempts forty per game. Even Drew Lock, you give him forty tries, he's going to get you to a couple of touchdowns in this one. I like him here. The running backs Zach Sharbonay Kenneth Walker splitting touches evenly every week. That's going to continue, and it makes it a really risky play against a
very good Eagles run defense. Since mid October, the only running the only running back to score on the Eagles is Christian McCaffrey. And that's not Zach Sharbonay and Kenneth Walker here. Philly gives up just three point nine yards per carry. They haven't allowed a receiving touchdown all year to a running back. There's nothing to like from those guys here. So you've got them on the bench. Got
them on the bench. Bends for both guys. If it was just one of them, I could see moving one to agreed, But splitting it up, I can only get you to a seat. Hey, Best of luck in the Fantasy Playoffs everybody. Obviously, if you're the kind of listener to the show, we want you to win more than your opponent, unless that guy's also a listener, And then we want you to tie, and then we want you to go to the tiebreaker that I gave you and three tough questions and the only one I gave you.
We'll be back next week for Round two of the playoffs. Everybody, Best of luck in the first round this week. Talk to you soon. Bye bye,