Playoffs, FFW style

to get over here. Yeah, in Minnesota, this is nothing that isn't even a blizzard. This is like a C A C grade snowstorm C grade. I like it. Okay, it's like the It's like the c dart from the Old Show. Speaking of grades, we're gonna give letter grades for all the meaningful fantasy players coming up in Saturday, Sunday and Monday's games. I hate the Monday game. Some team has you know, to you know, some winner. The winner of this game has got a short week to

prepare for next week. It's not fair. And then a chance they play a team that was on a by right, Yeah, which is they want that extra and it's Arizona, Los Angeles Rams which will get to but yeah, it's a deal. I don't. I don't like it. So two games Saturday, three Sunday and then the one Monday doesn't make it three and three? Yeah, I mean think about the advantage of football all day long. Yeah, totally. You know, what are you gonna do? I think it's a mistake, but

you know, I don't. You're let's see your your Cincinnati and Buffalo, who are the favorites to come out of the Saturday games. They will have a two day rest advantage over some team that played Monday, and I realized a different conference, but still, I just I don't like it anyway. They like the the ad revenue they'll get. Yeah, I know that's that's that's the thing that matters the most.

So this is a very traditional fantasy football weekly and that we're gonna break down the game's fantasy style letter grades, the whole bit. And um, let's start with Las Vegas Cincinnati. Brian, Uh, it feels like to me, the Raider just played their Super Bowl to get into this game, and I'm worried about a big letdown here. Yes, speaking of arrest advantage, Yet Las Vegas poured their heart soul into a five

quarter game on Sunday night. All the Bengals arrested everybody, so that is why the Bengals are five and a half point favorite over under a forty nine points, so that there should be some points in this game. And weather won't be an issue. Thirty two degrees nine miles per hour wins, so nothing to be worried about there. These teams actually did play uh in Las Vegas in Week eleven. The Bengals rolled the Raiders thirty two to thirteen in that game. Uh, we'll get to how the

Bengals score that many points. We will start with the visiting team. That's the Raiders here and Josh Jacobs can give him a B. Though the Bengals have allowed one plus rushing arts running backs and three of their last four games. Yes, the Week eighteen game the Bengals were arresting everyone, but still during that same span, opposing backs also averaged four catches per game, So pretty good numbers put up by opposing back X. And where would you

guess Josh Jacobs finished in receptions among running backs this year? Well, I know it's receptions are way up, I'm and so many backs had got sidelined by injury. I'm Betty safely inside the top ten and maybe even top five running back, so he's proved he can catch the ball, so he'll see likely twenty touches in this game. He uh in that week eleven game, they did get blown out, like I said, Las Vegas. He had nine carries for thirty seven yards and no touchdowns. But he did catch five

passes in that game. So hopefully a little more production from Jacobs. I'm gonna give him a B here. He's been playing better. I'm gonna give Hunter. Renfro would be as well. Amazing season. I mean everyone's saying Cooper Cup is Fantasy m v P, which he is is Renfro always second silver medalist in my opinion, people, Samuel's a settle silver medalist. Yeah, even though I saw over the last like five weeks he had more carries than targets

or something like that, Deebo Samuel. But back to Renfro, one of six wider receivers with at least one hundred catches, one thousand yards and nine touchdowns, Deebo Samuel was not one of those six. It was. It was Renfro. Cooper Cup Davante Adams, Tyreek killed Justin Jefferson and Stefan Diggs talk about here, but Samuel said, you know, but the reason Samuel didn't fall into that is because the rushing isn't part of that. No, I understand, and no, not

no knock on debil whatsoever. But i'mlike those guys, they had a DPS mostly really, I Rebro did not have an ADP. I like Rentfrow this week and give him a B. Cincinnati top twelve and most catches allowed to wide receivers on the season. Over their last four games, they surrendered a wide receiver touchdown and each one just four catches for thirty yards in that week eleven meeting for Renfro. But that's way in the past. When it

comes to it was but he got so hot. I mean he was playing well before that, but he closed the season so hot. I expect more from Rentfroll out of this one. So a B for him in a starting sea grade for z Jones, who has seen more targets and to Renfro over the last four games. Back whoever thought Zay Jones would be a viable fantasy we were any player. We were shoveling dirt on his uh, the grave of his career, and just I think the Bengals will win this game. I think you you do too.

But there's a chance that Za Jones will meet the Buffalo Bills down the line. How juicy of revenge narrative would that be? But uh again, pretty good numbers given up by the Bengals to wide receivers and z Jones is the clear cut number two. If you want, you could argue the number one option over the last four weeks. So I'm gonna give him a C grade. And Darren Waller returned last week just two catches for twenty two scoreless yards. Did see nine targets though, and the Bengals

are top five. We're top five in the most catches, yards and touchdown surrendered to tight end. So Darren Waller be great for him, he's expected to play. I don't see why he would not unless he suffers a setback, but he hasn't yet this week and unlikely too over the weekends. Would be for him. And based on all those three starting grades with those receivers, I will give Derek Carr's See the Bengals have allowed two touchdown passes

and three straight their last three games. Josh Johnson case keen him in the mix there, so a two touchdown floor seems pretty uh feasible for Derek carr Al right over the Bengal side. I'll be a little quicker here because he's a pretty obvious Uh. Starting grades for most players started with Joe Mixon. Uh, he gets an a. He was practically the entire offense and that blowout win by the Bengals thirty carries a hundred twenty three yards

two touchdowns. Uh. The Raiders have allowed of rushing touchdown to a running back in five straight games, nine total touchdowns to the position during that span. Love mixing fully rested, fully healthy, He's a full go and he needed it. It felt like he was wearing down at the end of for sure. Yeah, that that week off last week, it's gonna do him wonders. Uh. Speaking of doing wonders, Jamaar Chase been doing that most of the season. It's

gonna give him a be though. Oakland has allowed three wide receiver touchdowns over the last two games, but they've been tougher against the position that than that stat suggests. Mike Williams did top a hundred yards last week against the Raiders, but that was thanks to the buzzer beater

touchdown in the full extra quarter of play. Before that, no wide receiver had topped eighty yards against Las Vegas since Week twelve, and on the season as a whole, only four opposing wide receivers managed to top yards, so they've kind of held receivers in check in terms of, you know, hitting their their ceiling. Chase did score in the Week eleven matchup, only caught three passes over thirty two yards. It was mixing all day, uh in that game. As we just discussed Tee Higgins and give him a

b as well. Uh like, I like Chase just a little more. But Higgins virtually has the same prospects here against against the Raiders. UM just two catches for fifteen yards against the Raiders of meek leven. But again, that was all about mixing, and it was a reminder before Chase's Week seventeen explosion, the Tee Higgins was getting notably more work, more balls and was more reliable than Chase was. And speaking of reliable, UM, taking out Week eighteen, none

of the star wars played for the Bengals. Tyler Boyd had scored in three straight games from weeks fifteen to week seventeen, um, so he got hot towards the end of the year. He had six catches for forty nine yards in that first meeting, So I didn't give him a C and one more seed to give out c j Uzoma. Uh I guess that's almost two seeds I gave out to the listeners there. The Raiders were one of three teams to surrender double digit touchdowns to tight ends.

They were also top eight in the most catches and yards surrender to the position, so that would be bottom eight. Then, uh well, top eight in most catches. Well, they're top eight and the most there, which is a good thing taking would put them at the bottom aid if you're gonna rank him. But if we're in terms of the most catches in yards off putting most at the top, the worst is ranked number one, then they are top eight. You're making this more confusing. It's it's a good thing

for cj us almost important. Raiders top eight in the most catches in yards allowed tight ends, and Joe Burrow tempted to give him an A. I'm just a little worried this turns into more of a mixing games or just to be here, but a very very safe b And of course there's a upside with Burrow. There is reiving, there is, But I still think I'm with you. I still think this game is largely solved on the ground. Do believe there's a chance that Vegas is a kind

of a no show for this game. Patriots take on the Bills is the second of the Saturday games, and the key storyline here, without a doubt, is the weather. Four degrees a kickoff? That's it is the is the current forecast? Um? Not much wind? Fortunately, now, New England beat Buffalo in the earlier bad weather game. That game was a little bit different than that. It was a wind game. It was cold, it was like five degrees, but it wins. So this is a different kind of

cold weather game. UM. In that game, as you'll remember, they only threw the ball four times and they ran the ball thirty four times. And this is gonna be a little bit different. But let me warn people, when you get to single digits, that's when the game really turns into molasses, and the passing game effectively is effectively

UH is particularly affected by the cold weather. The average passing game in single digit temperatures going back eight years is sixteen completions for one hundred sixty yards and zero point two touchdowns. That's it, and that's going to shape a lot of what you're going to hear here. Now, you may remember the Packers, like three weeks ago, played

a cold weather game against Minnesota. That game went off at ten degrees, so it did not factor into our the looks of what we saw here, although Aaron Rodgers did put up a good fantasy game in that game. Okay, so let's talk about the Patriots side first. I'm the whole passing games on the bench. You have the cold weather, You've got Mac Jones with no cold weather experience, and then you've got a very good Buffalo past defense even

without Tradavious White. Since Week six, the average passing game against Buffalo is two heard one yards and zero points six touchdowns. That feels like if you told I don't even think I don't even think Mac Jones is gonna get to the two one yards in this cold of weather and about a coin flips chance of one touchdown sounds right for Mac Jones, and that just that means I don't like any of his receivers anyway, and I wouldn't anyway, even without the weather, I wouldn't like any

of them against this defense. So all that Mac, the prop is roughly for Mac Jones passing yards. Oh yeah, I mean, but definitely not gonna hit two. Okay, So let's go over to the running game. You know, we've seen Ramandre Stevenson and Damian Harris run the ball a lot and the other the other bad weather game. Harris has been battling this hamstring injury for months now, and he's expected to play in this game. He's on the probable side of questionable, and when he does play, he's

pretty bankable. If he can just get through the game, he's got get this for Stevens or Silver Harritt. Damien Harris touchdowns in five straight games and touchdowns in nine of his last ten. That's Damien Harris. By the way, Can I peacock for a minute? Absolutely, there's peacocks in the off season or postseason fantasy football. We'll get it there. Always in the last one. It's always the last. It's

a different board than the regular season. So you may recall that we had a tough question in the preseason. I think it was our final preseason tough question of the year was brotting backs, who can get to fifteen touchdowns? The correct answer that I gave you, guys was Damien Harris. I was not on that show, but you may not have been. I'm not saying you didn't get it right. I am saying I did. There you go. I think he had fifteen. I think he had fifteen on the nose,

although I could be wrong anyway. So back to back to Stevenson and Harris. I believe Stevenson comes into this on the injury report at all, and that muddies up the works a little bit here, and Stevenson may end up getting more work and he might be the safer play. UM. You may remember that Harris had to leave the previous Buffalo bad weather game early, and maybe scenario like that

plays itself out here. Harris topped one hundred yards in both of the matchups of Buffalo this year, although Stevenson did not play in the second one. UM and throughout the season, just looking back through Buffalo's run defense, good backs and and power running teams, seems that really tried

to run the ball almost always succeeded against Buffalo. They're a middle of the pack run defense, and that's how they're gonna That's how the Patriots are going to attack with Stevenson and Harrison, that's why they're both be grades. My main concerned with Stevenson is he's gotten himself in the doghouse pretty quick several times this season, like it was earlier in the year, at least two or three times.

He's don't fumble, don't fumble them, and even in four degree weather, don't fumble balls and ice cube, don't fumble. All right, let's talk about the Bill's side. I want to go back to the running game, which I believably emphasized for both teams. Devin Singletary gets a b game even though very quiet games, and both of the regular season matchups with New England right in the ballpark, it was ten carries and twelve carries in the two games. That's it, and in and only in the thirties for

rushing yards. But I think you can see a lot more rushing here. Nobody else is doing is really getting any consistent usage outside of Singletary, not our guy Zack Mosson, not certainly not. And the Patriots run defense has been gashed down the stretch. Duke Johnson just ran for a hundred seventeen yards to Tennessee Backs. In the same game, top to one hundred yards, Jonathan Taylor put up a hundred seventy yards, d Arnest Johnson hundred fifty seven total yards.

So yeah, this is a Patriots run defense that is not that good. And that's why I'm giving Singletary the B grade. Josh Allen, even though I warned you on how these single digit temperatures affect the passing game, He's just running so well right now. Get this. He's averaging sixty eight rushing yards per game over the last five weeks, and I think with the bitter cold weather, he's gonna just I think he's gonna run as much as he

always has and maybe more. And if you throw out the wind game, Um, when these guys met in the second game, he had a hundred. He had a hundred hundred and fourteen yards and three passing touchdowns in that game. So just one way or another, I think Josh Allen cobbles together B level grade game here. The only receiver I'm starting is Stefan Diggs and only a C grade. I worry about the cold weather. Also, Buffalo allowed the fewest wide receiver yards just one hundred twelve per game,

and the fewest wide receiver touchdowns at just six. That's half of the next closest team half. Diggs runs from all over the field, but he most often runs from J. C. Jackson's side of the field, and Jackson is excellent, allowing just twenty yards per game in his coverage. He's given up just three scores all year. As for any of the other Buffalo wide receivers, well, the problem is the Patriots rank number two and wide receiver yards allowed at just one per game, and they've given up the six

fewest wide receiver touchdowns. And I'm worried about Sanders, Mackenzie, Davis Beasley. How do they all get fed in bitterly cold conditions. One of them probably does something, but you can't know who's kind of One of them needs to be out all healthy for this game, so I think you set them all. Same with Dawson Knox. Patriots have been fantastic against tight ends. Only one tight end is

cracked twenty nine yards all year. Knoxes two games against New England just fourteen yards and eleven yards with a score in New England only allowed four tight end scores all year. Yeah, Dawson Knox, that Goo sag in Week seventeen, that that stung me in many many He's he's become a little touchdown dependent, whereas pre injury he was getting like the five catches, the six catches, chipping in some yardage and he was scoring. Now you're just you're just

looking to get the touchdown out of Dawson Knocks. At least it's been that way of light. And I think it's that way this game too. If you're like picking, if you're playing daily to Saturday only, i'd like use Oma overall. Of course, Yeah Waller really and of course at this stage not a big game last week, Yeah I did. I don't know Waller was coming back. But anyway, we don't like Dawson Knox. If there's gonna be other tight ends, you can pivot too, and we'll tell you

about them when we come back in a moment. As Fantasy Football Weekly resumes and just a matter of seconds, welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly. Paul Charching Brian Johnson with you the Sunday slate. Brian. Three games, Let's start with Philadelphia Tampa as our next game. That's the first one on the docket. Ye windy Airton campaign and wins like high winds almost pushing twenty miles Pever, that's not that's

not high winds. Twenty miles is not a factor. That isn't if not for not for NFL arms, not for NFL arms. I'm not worried. I am not worried about that part at all. The rain um sometimes works the advantage of the offense. Uh, slick fields can be better on the offense than the defense. These teams met Philadelphia and Tampa met in weeks six. Philadelphia has I think one viable pathway to upsetting the Bucks. It's not a running back by committee. It's not Jalen Hurts throwing the

ball to Quiz Watkins. It is Jalen Hurts running. That's the special thing. If lightning has to strike to get the Eagles to do it, I think Hurts has to have a big rushing games at rushing yards and one or two touchdowns. I'm with you now he scored two touchdowns in the earlier meeting. Can do it, and so he can do it now. Two weeks ago, on his

still gimpy ankle. Hurts ran for forty four yards. You remember he rested last week, so I think that ankles in really good shape, near one percent probably at this stage. And Tampa's a great run defense, but not against quarterbacks. Over the past five weeks, Tampa's allowed the most quarterback rushing yards, including a one hundred yard game to Josh Allen. So that's why I'm giving Jalen Hurts a B gride. I don't like the passing. I think he's sitting in.

He threw for a hundred fifteen yards in the first game, and I think he's sitting in another game like the mid one fifties here passing. But and by the way, check the status of cornerbacks Jamal Deane and Sean Murphy Bunting. They both got hamstring injuries. Their status is not yet clear. Um if they don't both don't go. I like Hurts a little even more than this, and you can even upgrade him to an A. But I think the rushing is gonna be there for him, but not the passing.

And that's why I've only got B. A B grade in Dallas Goddard and a C grade and Devanta Smith and nobody else gets a grade out of the passing game. Let's talk about got it for a second. He has scored in just two games since the opener. I didn't realized that had been so bad. For Goddard. That's not good, but by far the safest of the Eagles receiving targets.

He has topped seventy one yards in three the last four games, and his average game since zach Ertz was traded, there's a solid sixty one yards, which is good by tight end standard. Yeah, you'll take that. Tampa is Tampa is the middle of the pack tight end defense, but Goddard's better than basically any tight end they faced all season. Long B grade in Dallas, Goddard C grade and DeVonta Smith um. He may have just completely hit the rookie

wall Bryan. Over the past seven games. His average games three catches, forty four yards and zero point one touchdowns. That's not good. So that's it for DeVonta Smith and everybody else I've got on the bench. Tampa's run defense is fantastic. No back his top to eighty three yards since Week seven. Nobody's stopped one hundred yards all year. Tampa's allowing just three point nine yards per carry on the season. Um, And then you've got the backfield by committee.

Miles Sanders is going to try to play through a broken hand. I don't expect him to be able to catch the ball, so he's not gonna help you that way. He probably lands in the fifties rushing yard area. But then Jordan Howard um is expected to return from COVID and he's out lady. He's been out carried by Boston Scott and appears to me third in the pecking order, So I'm starting great at him either, but he's going to be in the mix and they might give him

goal line news. Then there's Boston Scott. His role has been all over the been all over the place, but he's gotten more carries than Howard lately has and he has scored touchdowns recently, so you know, but that was also in a mop up game last week. So I just I'm just putting him all on the bench. And they like Kenny Gainewill in the past game too, And that's really the the best angle for running backs against

against Hamper. It is, but you're not gonna trust and that's that's part of the reason why I don't have Sanders with a letter grade is because if the broken hand means he can't catch, that's the one thing that backs can do against Tampa and in past protection, broken hand not I deal, you know, probably not so uh. Let's go to the Tampa Bay side a great and Tom Brady. He's been a huge fantasy factor the past two weeks, even with Godwin and Brown out like they

will be in this game. The Eagles past defense looks okamp paper, but they they've played insanely soft series of quarterbacks. Get this here, I'm gonna go going backwards in time. Most recently it's a bad list like Heineke, Glennon, jil Bert, Zach Wilson, Daniel Jones, Trevor Simmey, and Teddy Bridgewater. You gotta go that far back before they get a good quarterback. Justin Herbert three hundred fifty six yards in that game for Justin Herbert. I would contest it's the easiest schedule

for a defending Super Bowl champion. It's not like those are the Eagles, Oh my bad, my bad, those are the Eagles opponent. Got you, got you um. And that's one of the reasons why a lot of people think the Eagles are going to get destroyed in this game. Is they've They're wins have come Acrost have come against those quaw caliber of quarterbacks. Mike Evans is also in a grade. He's top ninety nine yards are scored in

eight of the last ten games. Normally a lower volume guy Mike Evans, but Brown is out, Godwin's out, Cyril Grayson's out. Evans simply has to be a bigger part of the game plan here. He runs from all parts of the field, but will likely see shadow coverage from a sleigh ride. Darius Slay, but the Slaves really operate better than snow. Slay has been great this year. He's allowed one touchdown since Week three and just twenty eight yards per game in his coverage over the last seven weeks.

He was looking pretty cooked last year. At time he he's bounced, he has bounced back nicely. Rob Gronkowski also in a grade. He also has to be a big part of the passing game. With everybody else heard he's playing huge minutes averaging the snaps. No other tight end

by the way as a factor anymore. You know those days of Cameron Braid and O. J. Howard hopping up and stealing stuff from that's all dead ten plus targets in three of the past four games for Rob Gronkowski, and the Eagles have allowed the most tight end touchdowns four. I love Gronk in this game, the the easiest matchup for tight ends this season by far. The Eagles were Leonard Fournett's expected to play. He's been activated from injured

from injured reserve. Um, we know that Ronald Jones has already been ruled out, so I'm assuming four NET is going to be able to go. If it's not four NET, then you're gonna get the one two attack of Levian Bell, who is totally cooked, and Keyshawn Vaughan Gross. Hopefully it will be four NET here. I believe he'll play through his hamstring injury, but it is a tough matchup against a good Eagles run defense, giving up just four yards per game. No back has topped eighty five yards since

way back in Week five against the Eagles. For Net could be great through the air, though the Eagles have allowed the second most running back receptions, and four Net topped six receptions in five of his past six games, so I think for Net is gonna between running okay and a pretty good passing game. He'll get you to a B grade. It's worth mentioning though Jie Vonnie Bernard

was designated to return. Not like you should start him, but they do like they have another receiving option right right, Um, all the other receivers are on the bench. You could throw a dart at Tyler Johnson or Brigade Perriman or Scotty Miller, but they've all proven themselves to be totally unreliable even when the team needs them. And there's receivers have missed so much time but it hasn't mattered. Those guys have done nothing, So we're not starting any of them.

Sounds good to me. Let's go to the second game, which is Pittsburgh. It's actually the third game on on Sunday, but for our purpose is second game, uh, Pittsburgh taking on Kansas City. Brian. This game has got to believe a twelve and a half points spread. Most people expecting this to be a one sided affair. Yeah, that spread might be a little light on the Kansas City side, considering these teams played just in Week sixteen and the

Steelers got spank. So have a repeat performance expected there, but that's why they play the game. We'll see, but not liking a whole lot on the Steelers side. Uh. Started with Naji Harris, who did practice in full on Friday, now listed as questionable, His status was pretty uncertain earlier in the week, so assuming he's gonna play, I'm gonna go under the assumption he plays on Sunday. Just gonna give him as see though, Uh, not a good matchup

the Chiefs. The Chiefs have allowed just nine total touchdowns to running backs all season, rushing and receiving. Harris did manage to scrape together one and ten combo yards in Week sixteen, no touchdowns he did. He didn't have five catches, just seventeen receiving yards, so kind of a safe one hundred combo yard floor touchdown would be nice, but again he didn't do that week sixteen, and the Chiefs don't

allow a lot of those to running backs. Uh. The Chiefs have surrendered the sixth most wide receiver touchdowns though, with nineteen, and one of those went to Deonte Johnson in Week sixteen, who I'm giving a b two Uh. Also at six catches fifty one yard in that game and Uh, I would expect positive game script for the Steelers past game, even even with Ben Roethlisberger a quarterback who we will mention very briefly in a few moments. UH. For the rest of the receiver's Chase Claypool pretty down

here for him. I will give him a cee though, averaging seven plus targets over his last three games, so we should have opportunities produced in again, the likely positive game script for the past game. Just four catches for forty one yards for Claypool in Week sixteen, but hopefully that's a floor for him here. And it feels like he hasn't had a good game and forever. And for a guy who last year was a very safe touchdown scorer, Chase even running the ball right, where are the touchdowns

this year? I, you know, I don't have it in front of me. I'm guessing he's got it. He's had a three touchdown season. I feel it's more Rothlisberger's fault than Claypools, but both pretty pretty disappointing. How about how about here, you know his fault, it might be Pat Friar Moose fault because they that guy's turned into an end zone beast. I was about to I was gonna

go to Friar Muth. Uh, he's listed next in my notes, But then I wasn't aware that Juju Smith Schuster he's yeah, act expected to be active for this game, but I don't think he's I bet he doesn't get a ton of time. He's missed half a season. Yeah, I don't think he gets ton of a ton of play. It was a shoulder injury, though, so he's probably been staying in shape, not not game shape. So I like him more with the upper body injury than returning from the

lower body injury. But a bench grade for Juju, We'll see what he does here. We will consider him next week if the stealer in the unlikely event they advanced. And now, speaking of Pat Friar Muth, you just brought up he did not play in that Week sixteen game that he had the concussion the week before. The Chiefs have not allowed a tight end touchdown since Week eight, and durning that same span, only Dalton Schultz managed to top thirty five yards in terms of alone tight end

Shultz had fifty three, So a tough matchup for tight ends. Uh, the Chiefs are Uh, it's worth noting. I guess that when Friary Muth sat out, I never never even heard of these guys. Uh. Zach Gentry and Kevin Rader are a d er uh combined for five catches for thirty eight yards. So that's probably a safe floor for for Muth. But you would you'd want to touchdown from him. But again, the chiefs of not be giving a lot of those out to tight ends in second half of the season.

And lastly, for so I'm gonna put a bench grade Okay, I mean it's tough to gauge these grade suits. It's not like we have the whole week we're dealing with, So he's not really a bench but I'll see he's not. He's not as popular to play as you would think based on name alone, because this week I would pay for Rob Gronkowski if I'm playing, you know, if I'm in DFS, I think if there's a if there's a tight end, I'm gonna splurge on. I think it's Gronk

based on the matchups. Uh, And there's a pretty good tight end on the other side of this game as well. So we'll get to him in a second. After I say Ben Roethlisberger on the bench. He was in a presser earlier this week, and I thought I had heard it. It was taken out of context him saying we don't have a chance, but literally said tongue in cheek. I'm sure, I don't know. I think he's I think he had was pisted. He had to cancel his Cobo vacation or

whatever put it off. But he's on the bench. Just one Tomlin falling asleep during the Sunday night game, that would be that would decide whether you're in or out of the playoffs. How do you do that? He probably was just assuming they were gonna do the tie thing too, and didn't maybe make the extra effort to stay awake. But that was pretty funny to hear. Uh he did that all right over the chief side. Clyde Edwards a layer, Uh not gonna play and uh that that definitely clears

uh unmuddies the water at running back. So Darryl Williams gonna give him a b with that news. In week sixteen, I think this is the game where c. E. H got hurt. He had nine carries for twenty seven yards in a touchdown. Then Williams came in. He had eleven carries fifty five yards and then three catches thirty yards. Give that all to Williams and that's a solid B grade in my opinion. In a game of the Chiefs

are probably gonna control of the clock for the most part. Um. Yeah, that's pretty much it for the running running game for the Chiefs over the past game. UM Tyreek Hill just obviously only two catches for nineteen yards in that Week sixteen game, but he was coming off of they rest and they got up early and they just rested Hill the rest of the game. UM. Pittsburgh has been tougher against wide receivers as of late. Over the last five weeks.

Their bottom five in yards allowed to wide receivers. That means the least amount of yards allowed to the position. But during that top five don't do that. But during that same pan pan span, h kans are up. Sorry, Pittsburgh has surrendered five wide receiver touchdowns. Three of those went to Kansas City's Byron Pringle and me Cole Hardman, So I'm gonna give both. Know I always prefer Pringle over Hardman whenever I like decided to roll with one

of these guys. And daily or something. I'm always on the wrong always the rocks, or you know, choose the wrong side of the coin, however you want to put it. So then they both get to see. I'm not sure who's gonna produce here. Odds are both of them won't again now that Tyreek Hill is fully healthy. But I like Pringle a little more, just like you. Pringle had to catch two touchdowns in that game, Hardman had the one. Pringle also had also had twice as many catches as

Hardman in that Week sixteen games. So uh, we'll give him a stronger see out of those two. Uh. Travis Kelsey, we were talking about a pretty good tight end on the other side of this game. That is him. He did not play in Week sixteen. He had COVID He was um a COVID list for that one. But still in a for him? Are you gonna say something? Okay? Uh? Still in a despite the fact the Steelers have only

allowed two tight end touchdowns all season. Um, I'm sorry, four tight end touchdowns all season, but two of those came in Week seventeen, recently against Cleveland. Uh. Noah Gray and Blake Bell combined for three catches in twenty three yards for Kansas City in Week sixteen with Kelse on the shelf. You know Kelsey will do much better. He he's an obvious A grade. And of course, so it's Mahomes who had to eight and three in that Week sixteen game with no Kelsey. Yeah, and a limited Tyreek Hills.

So you gotta love Patty Mahomes here. When we come back, we'll get to the other Sunday game San Francisco and Dallas, and then the Monday night er, which is Arizona taking on the Rams. When we returned Fantasy Football Weekly, final segment Fantasy Football Weekly, uh Niners take on the Cowboys in the middle of the Sunday slate of games. And I believe, so, just to be transparent, I'm not a believer in the Cowboys. I And I'm gonna give you some reasons why you're gonna hear me leaning you towards

the Niners. And you can decide if you think I'm right or wrong. It's it'll be you. You can make that call if you want to. I want to start with the Niners side, beginning with the running game. I love Elijah Mitchell here, Samuel don't me Yeah, the running game because he does siphon off about five carries a game. But you know the funny thing is Mitchell is still

a freaking workhorse whenever he's active. Not only do they play him, they pound him, averaging twenty four carries per game in the second half of the season in twenty four Dallas season average of twenty five carries per game. So the volume is going to continue for Mitchell, and even in losses like the loss in Seattle in Week thirteen, twenty two carries. Even when the Niners are behind early like last week against the Rams, twenty one carried. So

there's no game script in which Mitchell flops. He gets tons of work. He's averaging almost five yards per carry. He runs behind the NFL's number one ranked run blocking offensive line. A grade for Elijah Mitchell in this game on volume alone, Elijah Mitchell. So Deebo Samuel's I mentioned siphons off some work and between what he's art, what he's proven he can do in the passing game, to me, it's just an obvious A And I'm just gonna move on and let's move to other parts of the passing game.

And I think are more sailing including Jimmy Garoppolo one of two one or two touchdowns in nine straight games for Garoppolo, So he gives you the safe floor, but the limited ceiling top three hundred yards and back to back games coming into this week. The thing about Garoppolo is that he needs to get the ball. Just all you gotta do, just get the ball in the hands your playmakers Deebo, Samuel and George Kittle and Brandon. I

can just let them go. That's all he's gotta do, and he could put together a decent game here, which is why I've got to be great on him. The cow. He's have played a lot of just middle the road quarterbacks Sam Donald, Bridgewater, Glenn and twice Ryan Heinichy twice good quarterbacks, almost always fairwell. Garoppolo to me is a average too good quarterback. That's it. And he's gonna be fine and he's gonna get his yards in this thing.

George Kettle be great. Dallas is a very good tight end defense, only two tight end touchdowns allowed in the last ten games. No opposing tight end his top forty eight yards in the last seven games. But he's George Kettle, so I'm still putting to be grade on him even in a tough matchup, because he's great when he's healthy. And he is right now, Brandon I, who also be great. He runs from every spot on the field and his plus matchups and all of those spots, including against tray

Von Digs, ostensibly Dallas's best cornerback. You know where I'm going to this, Brant. So we say it pretty much every Fantasy Football weekly. Trayvon Diggs has the most interceptions in the league and the most yards allowed in his coverage. He's the only player in the NFL that's given up a thousand receiving yards in his coverage. Trayvon Diggs does not worry me. Anthony Brown, another cornerback, he's allowed the fourth most yards in his coverage. So Brandon I is

gonna be fine to be great on him. And a C grade on Juwan Jennings an increasing snap count in four straight games or twice last week. And I don't trust Dallas to defend the wide receiver position. So if you need a dart throw, Juwan Jennings is somebody you can use. Now I'll talk about why Dallas worries me. Dak pre Prescott feels like he's rolling into this game red hot Brian, But his four touchdown game three games ago was against Washington's COVID ravage defense, does not count.

His five touchdown game last week was against Philly Scrubs. They didn't play any starters. That does not count. This week, I fear that he reverts to the guy he was in November and December, which was very inconsistent. San Francisco has allowed one or two touchdown passes in six straight games, and no more than two touchdowns in any game since the opener. I feel like the upside on Doc is

two touchdowns. The downside is zero. Only one quarterback his top two forty three yards against San Francisco since the opening game to forty three is nothing. The San Francisco past defense is sneaky good. And that's why I've got just a C grade on Dak Prescott and a C grade on his receivers. So you've got a Marie Cooper

finally healthy. He's got an eleven seven and seven targets the last three games, but again, two of those three games don't count, and the games surrounding the Washington COVID game and the Philadelphia backup scrub game, Marie Cooper had a two catch eight yard game and a three catch eighteen yard game, and his downside is terrible. Opposing number one receivers have had consistent success against the Niners. But who is the number one receiver for Dallas? You wonder?

Seems alright, I would to see. Lamb is also a C grade seven games scoreless stree for Ceedee Lamb gross, during which his average game is four and half catches fifty three yards, obviously scoreless with gallop out. He's running from the outside, which is better because that's where he played in the first half of the season when he was electrifying, So he's back outside now. Cedric Wilson's on

the inside. Wilson runs from the slot almost exclusively. He's been pretty reliable with gallop out three scores in the last two games. Um, but he needs touchdown because touchdowns because his volume is pretty low. But he's a dart throw in a C grade for Cedric Wilson as well.

And lastly, Dalton Sheltz. San Francisco is a fantastic tight end defense on average, giving up just three catches for twenty nine yards and zero point two touchdowns per games, So I can't like Sheltz here, and Schultz has got to share some of those twenty nine yards with Blake Jarwin and that's not good. So there's your passing game for Dallas and why I'm nervous about Dallason's game, and I think they're gonna lose even though they're favored by four.

Let's talk Zeke and Pollard and then I'll wrap up this game. Um, like all season, you need a touchdown from Zeke because his yardage again teams who are playing their starters again, which was two of the last few games nobody was, is terrible. Since Week eight, his average game in those games thirty nine rushing yards and nineteen receiving yards. That's forty. Niners finished sixth against the run. Aside from the Travis Homer fake punt, no runners top

fifty eight yards since Week nine against the Niners. I don't much like Zeke, just a C grade wall for a touchdown and for Tony Pollard completely off the injury port so that's nice with the foot injury. Um, you could use him as a wild card, just knowing that he's gonna get some touches and he's got more big play potential than Zeke has. But again San Francisco is good against the run. Just to see, great for Tony Pollard.

All right, you get to wrap it up, my friend. Alright, Monday nighter, Arizona taking on the Rams, first Monday night football game in NFL history, and we hated layoff game, playoff game, of course, Uh, Arizona at the Rams. These teams divisional rivals, so that means they played twice, of course, once the first game in Week four l A one thirty seven to twenty. But I'm sorry, Arizona one in l A three, seven to twenty. Then in Week fourteen l A one in Arizona thirty twenty three. So we'll

reference both those games here. Of course, we'll start with the running backs for the Cardinals. Very dicey situation right now with James Connor pretty much a game time he hasn't practice all week. He's a game time decision. With this registractice all don't practice all week, have got like a five ten percent chance apply. Yeah, it's probably unlikely he plays. Uh. He and Edmonds did both play in week In the Week four game, uh, Edmonds had twelve

carries a hundred and twenty yards uh, no touchdowns. Connor had fifty yards on the ground two touchdowns. Um. So if Connor's Connors somehow manages to play, I'll give both a C. But we're kind of going under the assumption Connor is out. So if Edmonds is the loan back, I'm not too worried about Eno Benjamin or whatever that other dude's name is. I'm gonna give him a B in this game because I think it's easier. Rams are a great defense, but they're a little easier to run

on than than to pass on. So I'll give the Edmonds a B if Connor is out, which is looking like that will be the case. UM over to the past game Christian Kirk, just to see for him. The Rams are really thin at safety. So thin they've lured Eric Weddle out of retirement for like two years something like that. I wonder if he's kept his beard growing all that time. Probably not any better shaved that but anyway, but the Rams not fin at cornerback with Jalen Ramsey

and company. But that said, l A has surrendered three wide receiver touchdowns over the last two weeks and to one yard wide receiver performances. Uh. Those went to just Justin Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk, and neither of them scored any of the said three touchdowns that I just or just mentioned. So production has been coming from the wide receivers against the Rams, but Kirk hasn't produced really against l A this season. In Week four, just one catch

for five yards. DeAndre Hopkins was probably healthy for that game. In Week four teen, Kirk did manage eighty six yards, but just on three catches, So I'm not a very high ceiling for Kirk in this one. I think Kirk's had a bunch of positive matchups in December that he has not really cashed in on unfortunately, not at all. Uh. And AJ Green, I mean, he's he been the corpse of a J. Green most of the season, but likely he's two best games of the year have come against

the Rams. In Week four, he had five catches, sixty seven yards and a touchdown. Week fourteen, he had seven catches a hundred and two yards. So a C grade for a J. Green based on those numbers, and Kirk probably draws Kirk and zach Or It's probably draw more attention than a Green will in this game. So I like green with the sea. Uh. Speaking of zach Ertz,

gonna give him a C as well. The Rams have allowed the third fewest tight end touchdowns all year, just four, but opposing tight ends have averaged more than five catches and fifty yards against l A this year, so Art's should have a fairly safe uh floor in PPR. He did have in Week four he was still on the Eagles and not facing the Rams and that one, but he did have five catches forty two yards in the week four TEENA games, so that's about nine ten PPR

points tight end any day. And lastly, for the Cardinals, Kyler Murray's gonna give him a b uh. He will need just like Jalen Hurts. He's gonna need threat game, but he wasn't running earlier in the year, but he has uh run a lot more since returning from injury in Week thirteen. Since then, Murray has averaged forty six rushing yards per game, and that number is heavily suppressed by his three rushing yards and that Flukey lost to the Lions, so um really averaging closer to sixty seventy

rushing yards over the last five six weeks. So I like Murray with a B here. He has had good games on both meetings with the Rams uh to six eight and two. Added thirty nine rushing yards in week four then he threw for three yards in Week fourteen, had sixty one rushing yards and that one against l A so B. For Kyler Murray, it's all gonna be. He's gonna have to carry the team on his shoulders for Arizona have any chance, all right, man Thorny games

that we're getting, this is like a full episode. It really is. Um, we're gonna say something. Sorry, No, it's just got The parallel with Kyler Murley Murray and Jalen Hurts to me is very It really is very similar. I think they have to be special and a lot of it has to come on the ground. Now, Murray it's a far better passer than Jalen Hurts, so he can be special through the air. But mostly for the last months, I don't know, since how Thanksgiving, he hasn't

been that special to the air. They've been letting him run more. And I do like Murray on the ground to have a pretty nice game here. I'm with you, um, speaking of on the ground, let's talk about the Rams running back starting with Sony Michelle. Uh, you can give him a C. Because cam Acres is back. We'll mention him, we'll talk about him. I don't think makers Acres is gonna get much work, do you. We'll talk about him

in a second. Let's talk about Sony first. Arizona has allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns and running backs this season, just six and just one receiving touchdown to the position as well, so that's not great. But uh, opposing running backs are averaging nearly a hundred and forty combo yards per game against Arizona, so it's not the worst matchup for Sony Michelle. I would be given a B. But I'm a little worried about cam Akers, who says he feels of course he's gonna say that, Yeah, but he

didn't have five carries last week and three catches. That's you know, eight opportunities, eight touches taken away from Sony taken away from Sony, and one would think he's gonna ten to twelve. So that's a significant amount of work that Sony is gonna concede the cam Akers, who is the better running back, went went healthy when healthy, but that's a big the achilles injury normal, it takes a long time to get right. This is not like other

kinds of injuries. So bench grade for Acres. See what we got there, But uh, I think we do see him. He's bumping Sony down from a B to a C. Though for me, um Cooper Cup though, he's in a as as he has been all year. Uh the week four meeting the first meeting might have been his worst game of the year when he had five catches for sixty four score of the yards. Uh yeah, eleven point four points his worst game of the year. That's pretty crazy.

But then in Week fourteen went off thirteen catches, one yards and a touchdown against the Cardinal So easier for Cooper Cup. Uh oh b j Odell Beckham Jr. Gonna give him a ce. The Cardinals surrender the most wide receiver touchdowns this year, seven, but they allowed just thirteen catches a hundred and fifty yards per game to wide receivers as a whole, which is not awful in terms

of fantasy production, but it's not very good either. It's pretty much middle of the road and uh oh b J and Van Jefferson kind of the same player at this point and then in their career at least with O b J. You know, limited time with the Rams, so I gonna give he and Van the c Van Jefferson scored in both meetings UH with against the Cardinals. In Week four he had six catches ninety yards and a touchdown, and I believe Robert Woods was still healthy in that game. And then a Week four teen fifty

eight yards and a touchdown for Prevne Jefferson. So like him with the Sea and do not like Tyler Higby though he is on the bench. The Cardinals allowed just two tight end touchdowns all season, and only two tight ends managed to top fifty yards against them all year. George Kittle had a hundred and one and then Dalton Schultz had fifty four. Two tight ends the top fifty yards. Uh. Higgby did not play in the Week fourteen game, and Week four he had four catches thirty six yards. That's

probably his four ended ceiling in this game. What a disappointing season for Higbee ye people. We spent the whole offseason talking about if you put Higbie and Gerald Evert together, you've got a top five tight end. Ironically had a better year. He probably did. He probably did. And you know, Higbee, it I don't understand how that passing game and Cooper Cup was so good, But that should have all come out of Tyler Higbee. You know, I just I don't know how it happened that Higby wasn't able to be

a bigger part of this offense. Yeah, he was a disappointment for sure. And lastly, Matt's effort kind of got this toe issue going on. I think you should be fine to play Monday night. You can give him a b. He had two eighty and two in Week four to eighties seven and three touchdowns in the Week four team game. He's got a Cooper Cup, he's got Odell Beckham, He's got He'll be just fine from a fantasy perspective. Safe.

You know, he's been playing. You know, Stafford has made some bad mistakes in the last months, some really bad passes. He almost gave the Vikings game away ugly ugly passed against Baltimore interception pick six. It's you know, it'll be fascinating to see what Stafford does. Is there any player with more pressure in the playoffs than Matthew Stafford. You were brought in to be the guy who would elevate a playoff team to a super Bowl team. They gave

up first round picks to get you. It is. There's a lot on and you know matthe It's not like Matthew Stafford's got a big track record in the playoffs. That one one year when caught it, it was it has caught it yere right when he didn't catch it, I believe correct. Yeah, Calvin Johnson, and we love Cooper Cup and Odell Beckham, but neither of them were Calvin Johnson Cup is. I mean, look, Calvin Johnson is amazing. Really the comparison with Cooper Cup, but I just like output.

It's actually very similar. And I think the last receiver to hit the Triple Crown was Calvin Johnson that year from Matthew Stafford. Now here's Cooper Cup from Matthew Stafford. So he, like you said, a lot of pressure on him. I'll get it done, and I think he will. Though, this should be a good game, even though it's on Monday night, which is still and we don't like that part. Thanks Brian, I appreciate everybody. Listen. You got to the

end of the a long episode, and it did. We we thought that, I thought this is going like thirty minutes, are going an hour? Good? Heavens well, six games, that's almost that's almost half our slate fantasy Yeah, all right, what are the three tough questions now? Exactly exactly. Thanks for getting to the end of a long show. We'll talk to you next week. We'll break down another six games as we get into the divisional round next week. Talk to you then, everybody, Best to luck. Fantasy Football

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