Semifinal Edition

and Brian Johnson. Hello, gentlemen. I love the energy. You stud my name that time, I don't I don't know. Last week was like Scot Fish shot Fish. Yeah, it sounds, it rolls off the tongue. Um. So exciting week. There's so many moving parts. I need to be upfront about this. Normally we record late Friday. Because of the holiday, we're recording late Thursday, and there's a million things that are changing by the minute. Well, what about those that celebrate Festivus.

I'm a little bitter about this, honestly care less about Christmas Eve. I want to celebrate festivals. I'm with you. I would do this on Christmas Eve if I needed to, But we are this is this is the hand we've been dealt so bear in mind we're going with the best information, most current information we've got as of Thursday. Hopefully most of this is still salient relevant. But nothing will change nothing nothing, what if anything does. You can just go to guarante leagues dot com and check out

charges ranks. That's right, I am updating the rankings constantly. This is for two weeks. It's my whole job. He does, just updating rankings all day. Man, we will have earned the end of this season. I'll tell you that much fun to get you over the course of the show, will still give you to take a chance on me, guys.

And now maybe more important than ever, with these all of the starters going down with COVID, we'll give you nine guys you can pivot to three tough questions remain in play, including some playoffs specific fake questions coming your way, and we'll break down all the matchups, beginning with what feels like a defensive struggle Scott between Buffalo and the New England Patriots. Obviously, last game was the Arctic wind Bowl.

You can glean very much from that game. I can, if if that can be a four teen to tend score in that weather, I gotta expect at least double in this indecent weather. On the Bill side, I have Josh Allen with a B grade, not not quite his usual A that he gets on this show. He's had multiple touchdowns in five of his last six, and if you're thinking back, that one was a really really windy game. So uh, three straight really good rushing days for him

as well. Why the B The Pats have held three of the last five quarterbacks they faced under a hundred yards. That's not yeah, and crazy under a hundred passing for three of their last five, six straight quarterbacks under a hundred seventy five. They've really shut down the pass game, and only one of those was a windy games, so there's no excuse. I will say Josh Allen was one of the better games of that with like a hundred and fifty yards, but in the wind, Yeah, in the wind.

B grade for Josh Allen. I gotta be grade on Stefan Diggs. I don't love it because I feel like that's the guy Bill Belichick is going to try to take away. But even his bad games aren't bad. He has sixty nine plus and or a score in every game that wasn't that Monday night game. Every single one sixty nine and or score. You're you're you're getting you know, seven plus points out of him. No matter what he's he's got a C level floor. I can't give him

any though, just because of the tough Pats matchup. They've allowed the fewest receptions and second fewest yards to watch receivers. I am given a C grade on Davis. I know Manuel Sanders is back, but Cole Beasley is out. I feel like that open maybe out. You don't think that, you don't think isn't that he's yeah? Uh. Gabriel Davis has the most red zon red zone targets on the team in the last three weeks, with eight every time for two years. Last year seven touchdowns when John Brown

was out. Last week was Sanders was out, he had two more. When someone's out and he comes in, he steps up. I don't know how he doesn't get more playing time. We've been big on him on this show for two years now. Uh, Dawson Knox C grade. To my concern here is Davis keeps stealing his red zone looks. That's what was great for him earlier in the season. He has gained five plus targets almost every single game, and he does also have six red zone targets in

the last three games. He gets those still, it's just not as many as Davis. Not a huge yardage guy, but maybe a touchdown in Knox had I think four completions in the first quarter of last week's game, and I'm like, oh, Dawson and then he didn't catch another past No, But C grade on him, A C grade on Devin's Singletary. He completely took over that backfield last week tw plus touches. He's a good pass catcher. The team indicated this week that they want him to be

the lead role. They think he's got the lead role. I've been before by this Buffalo backfield, though, so I'm keeping him in a C grade and the Pats. Uh. The Pats are likely to shut down Allen and Diggs. That's probably what they'll try to shut down, So maybe Singletary can get some pass Kennet chin work. UH. Ten running backs have topped a hundred total yards in the last twelve games against the Pats, with which that's a little surprising. You can't pass on the path exactly. You

can't pass on them. So that's why I get. I give a starting grade to Devon Singletary, who I don't think has had a starting grade this season probably not not often, Yeah, not often. On the other side, I got Mac Jones on the bench. He's a decent real

life quarterback. He's just not a great fantasy quarterback. Uh. And against this Bills d that they've only given up one good passing day this entire year, and that was the Tom Brady they they they've been They've struggled a little bit less a little bit with tevious white out, one good game, one bad game, and then the Wind game. So we'll see. But I don't trust Jones and this

this likely tough matchup. Jacob be Myers C grade. Kendrick Born on the COVID list, not sure if he'll be back, but if he's not, it just substantiates that C grade even more. Twelve targets last week, thirty in his last five full games for Jacoby Myers, If you start anyone in the passing game, it's got to be him, just because he's probably gonna get that C grade on volume. He keeps getting six, seven, ten targets. Uh. This is a top ranked pasty though they don't have Tradavious White.

They held down the Panthers. There's a lot to be concerned. I was very close to benching him, but once Born landed on COVID, I thought, all right, you might get the volume in the one last passing game. Oh my gosh, this is such a matchup between players. No but no playoff teams should have most mimr Henry you might have. He scored like ten nine in ten games. He scored nine touchdowns nine times in ten games. He usually doesn't

top forty yards, but he's scoring consistently. The Bills have only allowed three tight end touchdowns this year, but he did score in that other in the last one. So I have a C grade on him just because he can get touchdowns. Uh, Stevenson and Harris. Harris is back, he's practicing, he's healthy. You can't run very well on the Bills. Actually, I'm both on the bench. If Harris does go, if Harris doesn't go, I'm giving Stevenson the

SEA grade. I think that that makes complete sense. Unfortunately, they'll split up enough work against a good defense that probably neutralizes both. Brian Jacksonville taking on the Jets. This one should be a much shorter, easier one, and it has to be Robinson might be a semi final winner right here. Yeah, why don't you go ahead and hit that fantasy Fonzi button please? James snapshare last week with urban Meyer back on the bar stool, the song remains

the same. The Jets suck against running backs, allowing one combo yards and nearly two touchdowns per game. Easy a Fonzie a for James Robinson or of the wide receivers Marvin Jones. Despite getting out targeted by Laviska Chennault and the Quan Treadwell last week, Jones is still the one Jacksonville wide receiver I would play, But you know what, I don't have to. They're on the bench. The Jets are too easy to run on. But you know he

was not on the bench. Dan Arnold's back. The Jets are allowing more than five catches and sixty two yards per game to tight end. So if you're in desperate need to be tight end, dan Arnold is your guy. Trevor Lawrence is not your guy at quarterback. He's on the bench. That's pretty easy. Let me just let me just mention this about Trevor Lawrence. I tweeted this earlier this week. He started the season with a three touchdown game and then he went one touchdown one touchdown. That's

five touchdowns in his first three games. He has four touchdowns the rest of the year and one touchdown in the last two months. Trevor Lawrence the first player taken. The only reason this is not a gigantic's story of how the first overall player has taken has been this bad it is because he's in Jacksonville, right, But I mean, like, is Houston a great spot? No, Davis Mills is doing okay? Are the Bears a great spot? No? Justin Fields is doing all right? Yeah, Trevor Lawrence shaping up to be

a bust. But we won't. We won't write them off just yet. But anyway, we're writing him off for this week. Over to the Jets. A lot more to write off here, including Michael Carter. He's on the bench. Just saw of the snaps last week. Jags can't be anybody to start here, is there. I'm just gonna say, James, let's cut to the chase. Thank you, James and Crowder. I'll give him to see the Jaguars are allowing fourteen catches one seventy

yards and one touchdown per game to wide receiver units. Uh, he's the one I would start, even though it is a Keeling Cole revenge game. But I can't go there. Uh. Braxton Barrios, Keeling Cole, denzil Million Mims combined for two catches last week. Mims had the most targets with three, but the least catches with zero from those guys. So yeah,

crowd is your only storable Jet this week. Let me mention this just briefly on the Jets for those especially in Dynasty or Empire leagues where you you drafted Zack Wilson. He's clearly played much better in these past whatever three games since he came back from injury. Zack Wilson has dramatically improved. If you wrote him off in the first two months, but you know, and then he got hurt. I'm telling you he's played far better later. I did contemplate him as might take a chance on the quarter.

I'll give him that that much. But he's on the bench, all right. I'm with you on that. Baltimore Ravens take on the Cincinnati Bengals. I'm not rooting for injury here, but I am rooting that they rest Lamar Jackson for another week on Thursday. Correct And if he because you know, with him on a foot injury, if you don't have the mobility, then what you've got on average out of Lamar Jackson is two hundred sixty passing out to its. He's bad and about a touch a little over a

touchdown per game, which isn't great. So I just think I'd rather have a fully healthy Tyler Huntley, not just for Huntley saying, but for all the receiver's sake as well, because he's proven himself to be pretty good. Get this. In his three full games, Tyler Hunt's hunt Huntley has completed seventy of his passes. That's Drew Breeze level completion levels.

It's a it's remarkable for Huntley and his running ability can spark a high end fantasy game, just like last week when he was the highest scoring quarterback in fantasy football. He's earning a paycheck next year, Well you know, yeah, he isn't, right, I mean, what will be fascinating And again not to get a hold ahead of ourselves here, Lamar Jackson is going to insist on getting paid this offseason. As he heads into his fifth year of his rookie deal,

He's going to insist on getting paid. He's gonna want top five money. Ravens may look at all of you know, may decide we don't want to give top five money to Lamar Jackson, which would be a reasonable conclusion to draw either side of it could be reasonable. Then you gotta you work out a deal with Tyler Huntley, who will be pennies on the dollar compared to what it would cost to get Lamar Jackson. Then Jackson goes straight to Pittsburgh. It probably he probably does. It could work

out that way anyway. Um, I've got to be grade on Tyler Huntley, a C grade on Lamar Jackson if he goes. Let's talk about the receivers. Mark Andrews has just turned into an obvious. Ay, I don't even think I need to elaborate on it other than to say no drop off whatsoever with Tyler Huntley, and so no, don't have to worry about that at all. Let's go to Marquis Brown. He's got ten. He's got ten receptions from Huntley last week, which is great, but his scoreless

streak now sits at six straight games for Hollywood. Brown. He's faced the Bengals four times in his career. He has scored in all four games, which is good news. And he's gonna probably see a fair amount of Trey Waynes on the outside. Wayne has barely played in his two years since going to Cincinnati, and he's giving up a passer rating of one D forty three in his coverage. I've got to be great on Marquis Brown. Rashade Bateman

sparked to life last week. He roasted since for eighty yards on the only three catches in their prior meeting. Uh so, maybe he doesn't need a ton of volume here. Maybe he could, you know, be all right on just three or four catches again here. Um, also on the outside see some of the same Trey Waynes, which would be helpful. Um. I've got a C grade on Bateman if you need to go that direction. The running backs devote Freeman and Lottavius Murray. Guys, we had to. If

you didn't pay attention to last week's game. We have a full blown time share going on in Baltimore. If last week is any indication, both guys. Now, I believe impossible to start unless you think last week was an

aberration with Ottavius Murray getting more touches. The only angles I can really offer you here is that the Bengals give up a lot of receptions and receiving yards to opposing running backs, and Freeman is the better pass catcher, so I give the preferred Neither gets a C grade, But if I had to pick one of the other, I would pick him onto Freeman. All right, let's go over to the Cincinnati side, where really the biggest storyline is the Raven defense, which in Thursday's practice had a

total of thirteen available players. That's it, oh man. So there you have to watch all of the COVID and injuries that have stricken the Baltimore defense. And I've got I had strong grades on especially the passing game anyway, but you can ratchet everybody up a letter grade if it turns out that this level of injury and COVID continues to strike Baltimore. The NBA is bringing back a bunch of relics because of COVID. I think Ed Reid could maybe suit up for the Raven. They might want

to go that way. Let's talk about the receivers. Tee Higgins gets an A. Prior to last week's flop, Higgins had a run of three straight one yard games and he chipped in two scores over that span. And Baltimore secondary has surrendered five receiver scores in their last three games, probably missing multiple starters here, So Tee Higgins gets an A. You can't advance him too higher than in A if a bunch of Baltimore players are out, but you could with Jamaar Chase, who's got a B grade right now.

Horrific game last week. I believe it was one catch, three yards for Chase last week. I believe that's correct. Only one game with a touchdown in his last month, and over that month, here's Jamar Chase's average game three

and a half catches, forty two yards. That's it, But he put up two hundred yards on the Ravens in the last matchup between these teams, So remains startable with a B. And again, if it turns out that all the starters are missing from the Baltimore secondary, go ahead and bump them up to an A. Tyler Boyd startable here as well. He's seen at least five targets in three straight games, turning those looks into nearly five catches

per game for an average of seventy nine yards. As it stands, it looks like lightly used journeyman Kevin Seymour will man the slot for the Ravens. That would be a major plus matchup for Tyler Boyd, who comes in with a B as well. Then if I like all those receivers, obviously I love Joe Burrow in this game. It is a get right up ortunity for Burrow. Even when the Baltimore defense was at full strength, Burrow would

have been a strong start here. But as it stands, he is an obvious A grade and I believe I have him ranked number two or three at the quarterback position this week. Lastly, Joe Mixon. This one's trickier because he has really hit a wall with injuries and time share. Over the last three games. He's averaging fifty seven rushing yards I'm three yards per carry and has one touchdown in the last three games. And the Ravens have been a great run defense, allowing the fifth newest rushing yards

to opposing running backs. And he's got the ankle injury, which is always dangerous on a running back. I don't like that, so I've got him as a B grade here depending on whether or not the Baltimore defense his how many people are out, But you could lower him to a streak C grade, which is where where I originally had Joe Mixon, Like last week, a lot of if then statements in all of these matchups. If this happens this great, if this happens that great. Yeah, we're

doing our best, folks, and so are you. I know this is very challenging fantasy managers. You're earning your championships this year like no other season. When we come back, nine players upon whom you can take a chance we'll give you or take a chance of me players in moments, chance a chance, take a chance on me. Nine players not normally in your starting lineup. You need it this week more than most, Matt. It is uh. We're done surviving for starters, and we begin at the quarterback position.

Scott Fish your take a chance of the quarterback before we start? Can I like that song? But can we petition to get the chipmunks back? I love the chipmunks. I wish we could. I want the chipmunks, like, if they're up to me, would be chipmunks every week all right, it wouldn't be chipmunks every week. Take a chance on me, quarterback. I have Matt Ryan. I know it sounds gross. He has like three touchdown passes in the last six games. I get it, I get it, but he's playing against

the Lions. Whoever. The last four games have allowed yards and two scores per game to opposing quarterbacks, and it's actually a pretty decent spot for him. I have Matt Ryan C grade. People like to hear that, Ryan, you take a chance for me quarterback. Used them last week and he used them again to a toungoola at the Saints. This week you will get Jalen waddle Back. That's a

big boon for two. Over the last three weeks, the Saints only highest opponent passing play percentage attent and during that same stretch, and Lean says you the most past attempts per game at forty three plus. Saints very tough to run on. I just think to airs it out on Monday Night against New Orleans for once. We can't use Jimmy Garoppolo because he's Thursday night, so you know we can't do that. Well, I'm gonna go to a more desperation play than either of yours. Drew Lock going

up against the Raiders. I don't know what scenario exists you need to start Drew Lock. Maybe you were you were counting on Taysom Hill or something. But here's your quasi plausible scenario you'd like to go there. Uh Locks. Everything that Teddy Bridgewater isn't. He's strong armed and mistake prone. He is a boom or bus fantasy producer with some boom opportunity this week because last year he started against

Las Vegas. He put up three hundred thirty nine yards and two scores against the Raiders Drew Lock did earlier this year, Teddy posted his best game of the season against the Raiders three thirty four and three. So this team knows how to beat the Raiders. Vegas is a slumping secondary. Over the past five weeks, they've allowed the most passing touchdowns and the third most passing yards. Drew Lock, it doesn't actually kind of makes sense. Let's go to

the running back position. You take a chance of me runner Scott. I am going with Jordan Howard, And as the week rolls on here that might be even more more and more like a good spot. Uh. Just listeners love this I have a C grade on They like to they like to know the actual grade. He has ten plus touches in five consecutive games he's played and has put Scott and Gainwell on the bench. Miles Sanders is dinged up with the quad injury. He had fifty seven or more yards in all five. He's got seventeen

red zone touches in those last five games. And this is kind of the game against the Giants that they might pound the clock late and a lot of Howards. So Jordan Howard, if you're Kenneth Gainwell, that's gotta hurt him. Undead corpse of Jordan Howard getting repso right, Uh, Brian, you gonna take a chance of your running back? Yeah? Fish just said take home players usually get a C. And that's why I'm going with se Rex birkehead Rex Rare. I don't. We don't have this down for a t REX,

but um, I'll work on that. Well, we'll get it. We'll go on later for C Rex. He's at home against the close enough. Yeah, at home against the Chargers. Uh. Last week, that was like the fourth Jurassic Park they had up. Those movies get worse by the the installments. But anyway, Burkehead led Houston with nineteen opportunities last week. Uh, those are targets and carries, by the way, opportunities. David

Johnson Royce Freeman combined for just ten. The Chargers are allowing me fourth most rushing yards fifteen per game and the third most touchdowns one point three per game to opposing running back. So se Rex Rare Leonard Bernatt's not gonna play, do you? Bernard's on injury reserve. Ronaldo is gonna get a lot of work against Carolina in relief. Last week, he averaged eight yards per carry, and on the season he's been good for almost five yards per carried,

just like he was last year. Ronald Jones doesn't stink. They don't like him. Apparently he's always in the doghouse or whatever, but he's They gotta start him. They don't have a choice. He's not gonna come close to for nets receiving numbers, but we'll get almost all the carries against a team giving up one hundred rushing yards per game over the last five weeks. They've also allowed five rushing touchdowns over the past five games. Ronald Jones could

hit one hundred yards in a touchdown. If all of those trends hold, let's go to the receivers. Scott, who's gonna take a chance for me? Receiver? So I'm in this sleeper bowl one with A J. Dillon. I don't know if I mentioned about your good friend. I've number one seed that I'm playing against JJ Dillon, and he sneakily picked up Allen Lazard to play against me. I think he's got some inside knowledge in this matchup. So

you should pick up Allen Lazard. By the way, mvs on the COVID list, Marquez vald sconce on the COVID list, So Lezard will see that number two work and probably like the out too, So you'll take a chance of me runner Brian receiver. And I'm not playing against this I'm not playing against this guy in any fantasy league, but I might use him on Sunday. And that Zach

Pascal of the Colts at Arizona. On the season, the Cardinals have allowed the third most touchdowns to wide receivers six wide receiver touchdowns allowed over their last three games alone. The Cardinals just put starting corner Robert Alfred on i R last week, and lastly slot receivers have done very

well against Arizona lately. Over the last three weeks, Jachem Grant five catches sixty two yards in a touchdown, Cooper Cup thirteen catches three yards in a touchdown, and last week Fisher's boy I'm on ros st Brown eight catches ninety yards in a touchdown. Zach Pascal is next, Pascal Man. If you hit that, I'll be very impressed. I've got

Van Jefferson going up against the Vikings. He runs from all over the field, left, right, and from the slot and has positive matchups and all three spots against Patrick Peterson, Mackenzie Alexander, and Cameron Danceler. Mackenzie Alexander slumped all the way to the very bottom of pro football focuses UH cornerback rankings, and the Vikings have allowed the most yards to wide receivers one per game, and over the last five weeks that one ninety one balloons up to two

hundred eight yards per game to wide receivers. They've allowed the second most touchdowns to wideouts. And we've seen a ton of depth guys tear up the Vikings just recently. Demere Bird, James Washington, Josh Reynolds, Juwan Jennings, Marquez, Valdes, Scantling, why not Vane ever since? Probably better than all those gids, you know, why not him? Uh Scott? Remember Jeremy Hill Bengals running back from a few years ago. I don't like talking about him. Yes, I don't know why. I

had a a toward toward love affair. Okay, so he had. I remember at one point people cracked the code on his personal fantasy league and they found where he was running his league on ESPN, And you know, they're all

quasi public. You can't change Jeremy Hill's team, but you could see his team, and so people would figure out who And he had all these Bengals on his team because he was a Bengal, and so people figure out who was in and out based on who Jeremy starting on his fantasy So adding legitimately legitimacy, I think it could be uh Detroit Lions taking on the Atlanta Falcons. Scott for the Lions. Jared Goff looks like there's a

good chance he won't go, and I don't. I don't really like any part of this this offense without him. You don't trust him, boyle I can't gonna trust the last after the last time. No, I have both quarterbacks on the bench. Actually I I don't. Course I hope so Jared Goff was not playing well enough to uh to deserve a start anyway in the passing game, though. If golf goes, I like calman Row again. If Boil goes, I kind of want to bench everybody in the passing game.

But if golf goes, I have a C grade on Alman Raw. He's just clicking all the boxes right now. Hundred seventy eight targets in the last three games. I'm pretty sure that's accurate. Hundred seventy eight sounds right. Um, charges not paid attention to you. You can tell hundred and seventy eight targets. Um, they constantly feed him eight

plus catches, seventy plus yards and all three. Uh So I have a C grade on him just because he gets crazy volume if he if golf does go, everyone else is on the bench in the passing game, but DeAndre Swift I'm going to give an a grade to. If he comes back, which it sounds like he's going to be back. We're putting Netflix Craig Reynolds back on the bench uh DeAndre Swift. He had a hundred thirty six total yards in his score the last time Boyle started because he got all the work. They just kept

feeding him. And my worry is, you know, with his long layoff, is he ready to get all the work immediately when he comes back? And what if if Jamal Williams is also off the COVID list, which looks like it looks like So that's my worry on Swift. Yeah, it's it's not like an art Vark type A. It's a low end A, but it's an A for Swift just because I think he'll get a ton art Park. I don't know how that works. On the Atlanta side, Matt Ryan was na take a chance on me quarterback? Naturally.

I like his past catchers just a little bit at least. I have a B grade on Gauge. Are people even watching how good Gauge is? Like he most two guys last week, He's playing out of his mind right now, sixty plus and or a score and six of his last seven ninety plus in two of the last three. With Pits taking so much attention, Ryan's turning to Gauge and he's he's making it happen. B grade on gauge,

B grade on pits. I have to. Despite all that attention, he still gets targets sixty plus yards and six of his last nine this matchup man twelve different tight ends, twelve have top fifty and or scored four of them in the last three games alone. Um. He might, however, see some coverage from mamani are are ruy ru war. Sorry, who's been stillar lately, And I think if he goes on anyone it might be Pitts. But I still have it be grade there corderrel Patterson. I'm gonna keep doing

it every week that I'm on this show. I pretty much give Patterson a grade because you can't. I'm sorry, jigs up on Patterson's That is my concern. After last weeks we talked about this concern. Yes, but the Lions are just such a nice matchup for running backs. They're one of the worst in the league. They're like third worst, their bottom ten in almost every single category. Uh Andy's game script proof. If they fall behind, they'll pass to him. If they don't pass to him, He's not even running

routes anymore. Man. That's the problem. The lines have allowed twenty two running back touchdowns this year, nine backs over a hundred yards. Right. I want to believe it's true too, but the reality is San Francisco was a tough, tough defense last week, way tougher, unquestionably. But the thing, it's not a new trends five games having virtually no impact on the passage we've talked about, and he's a timeshare running back. That's that's why I can't be I'm not

on board with this. A grade on Errol Patterson. Um, let's take a break when we come back and Indianapolis Colts take on the Arizona Cardinals. Obviously, Jonathan Taylor, you know what to do, but what about elements of the passing game. Beyond Zach Pascal, who is all but a lock for a massive game? Here is Carson Wentz, somebody you're gonna go to war with. What about Michael Pittman who got one catch before getting ejected last week? What

do you do with those guys? We'll talk through Colts and Cardinals when we come back to Fantasy Football Weekly. Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly. Pulp Church and Scott Fish and Brian Johnson with you guillotine leagues, dot Com. All

my player rankings updated there. We've been very forthright about today's show and that we are recording on Thursday due to the holiday, and that means that we're working with a little less information you might be when you hear this, So we're doing our best with what we know at the time. We encourage you to apply some breaking news

judgment as needed. Indianapolis takes on the Arizona Cardinals. Brian obviously um Jonathan Taylor goes without saying is an obvious A. But the passing game, to me is much more intriguing. What do you think about Carson Wentz, Michael Pittman and some of the other bubble guys that people might be thinking about. Well, we know why. I like Zach Pascal. He was my take a chance on me wide receiver.

That's because the Cardinals have allowed the third most touchdowns to wide receivers, six to the position over the last three games alone. For that reason I gave Michael Pittmann is see, I'm not gonna give t Y Hilton a starting grade though, I just can't do it. T Y, I'm sorry. And as far as the tight ends go, if but Wiley Cox and Jack they were one person starting grade, but they are not. But for as far as it goes for Carson Wentz, I still got him

on the bench. There's the very real fear that Jonathan Taylor takes this game over and the Cardinals are allowing just two four yards and one and a half passing touchdowns per game. Wentz is a sure fire starting two quarterback leagues, but I don't see him cracking top twelve, top fifteen territory at quarterback, so he's on the bench for me. You hit on the key problem. It's so easy to run on the Cards. A giant game potentially coming from Taylor, and that might eat into a Carson Wentz.

I've gotten starting linebackers, i'd say, as Simmons and Marcus Golden for Arizona are both banged up questionable to play. Bodes well for Taylor, but he's an obvious say over to the Cardinals side. James Conner has been an obvious start in recent weeks, but I got him on the bench. Now that Chase Edmonds is back and he's still not a pent from the heel and injury they suffered two weeks ago. He's not a hundo and uh he's in that time share and it's a tough matchup. The Coults

are ranked fifth ends the run by Pro Football Focus. Uh. They just held New England to thirty nine rushing yards last week, so I got Connor and Edmonds on the bench. I almost benched Christian Kirk, but uh, I did not. I'm gonna give him a c. Over the last five games, no receiver has tallied more than fifty two yards against Indianapolis, and during that same span, the Colts have allowed these second fewest yards two wide receivers and have given up

just two touchdowns of the position. Both went to Stefan Diggs. Christian Kirk is not Stefan Diggs. AJ Green used to be Stefon Diggs. He certainly not anymore. He is on the bench, but zach Ertz is not. If he plays. He's got a hamstring, he should. He should played through it last week and they still targeted him I think eleven times, so apparently it's not that bad. He should be good to go, So I'm gonna give him the b. Last week, the Colts were picked apart by New England

tight ends, mainly Hunter Henry not John new Smith. Sorry to say, charged for eighty yards and two touchdowns. Indias also allowed the most yards to the tight end position on the season. So a safe B for Earth's but just monitor that, Hammy, but he should be fine. And not a very safe B for Kyler Murray. But I mean give him a B here. The Colts have surrendered just three passing touchdowns over the last three games, and that includes limiting Tom Brady to just two six yards

and one touchdown in Week twelve. And I kind of gets worse for Murray, who he did have a good rushing game against the Bears. They ran him a lot in that game, but on the season he hasn't been running a ton. But Indie has not allowed a quarterback rushing touchdown all season, and they faced the likes of Ryan Tannehill, who has seven rushing touchdowns by the way, that's like fourth among running backs for Ryan Tannehill and Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson held all those guys out

of the end zone. So not not a smash spot for Murray at all, but I will still give him a B. And that's it for the Cards. Rams take on the Vikings. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Cupper obvious, a's against a struggling secondary that just Jettison to starting cornerback one week ago, and the team that'll I was the most passing yards over the last five weeks and the most yards to wide receivers specifically, So Cup and Stafford are obviously, but that also means I like Odell Beckham

a lot. Not only have the Vikings given up the most yardage to wide receivers, they're giving up They've given up at least eighties six yards to a receiver in six the last seven games. Beckham is the most likely guy to get that. Over the last five games, Viking secondaries also allowed seven touchdowns to the position, so obviously over one per game. Beckham lines up on the left

side of the field most often. That puts him on the Vikings best cornerback Patrick Peterson Van Jefferson's on the right. He was might take a chance on me wide receiver. He also has a B grade in this game. Let's go to the running backs Sony Walkman and Darryl Henderson. They are not locked in an unfortunate committee. Sony had the upper hand last week, out touching Henderson by almost

three to one, but Henderson should be healthier now. The Vikings key run defenders are healthy and over the past three weeks they're giving up just three point nine yards per carry. But even on that, they've managed to give up decent games and Nagi Harrison David Montgomery the past two weeks. My guess is either Sony or Darryll end up with good games, but good a good game. But I don't think they both do. And I don't love either once, no way, but it's nice that he's been activated.

I'd like to I bet they give him some work in week eighteen, just to get his legs back a little bit right, knock the rust off, and then see what he can do in the playoffs. Let's go to the Viking side where there's a little more intrigue here. Dalvin Cook, as you already know, is out. Let's talk about Alexander Madison, who averages a whopping twenty four touches in games that Cook misses, and they don't. They barely give anybody else any carries. They really trust Madison in

this role. The Rams allow the third fewest yards per carry, just three point nine on the season, and since ending they're losing skid. Three weeks ago no back has topped forty one rushing yards against them. That is not good news for her. That is not good news for Alexander Madison, the last running back to hit one hundred yards against the Rams. Week four, James Conner posted ninety four receiving yards against Los Angeles, but Madison doesn't catch much, and

I don't think that means much. I've got to be grade just on sheer volume for Alexander Madison, but I don't love the matchup. Let's talk through the passing game, beginning with Justin Jefferson. Hopefully the Vikings will overcorrect for last week's egregious under utilization of Justin Jefferson. Jefferson should let up a Ram secondary that has allowed the fifth

most yards to receivers over the past four games. Jalen Ramsey remains an elite cornerback you know, probably shadow Jefferson for a lot of the game, but maybe not all the game. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't do that. And I don't think it necessarily matters if Feeland tries to play or not. I think Jefferson would be his

focus here. No receiver has scored in three weeks against the Rams, and bigger stats usually come from non number one receivers, like we've seen A. J. Green and Christian Kirk and THEA. Kwan Treadwell and Randall Cobb do better against the Rams the number one receivers. And that's why I don't have an A grade on Justin Jefferson. I've just got the B grade on Justin Jefferson for this one.

So then what about Adam Theland if he plays trying to come back on the early side of of a high ankle sprain, So again, I don't think he's gonna see a lot of Jalen Ramsey. I believe that will be mostly Justin Jefferson, and that gives him far easier matchups against Deontay Dayton and David Long. Rams secondaries allowed the fifth most yards seventy eight per game and six most receptions to receivers over the last four games. And

those numbers aren't going through Jalen Ramsey. They're going through the other guys like Dayton and Long. So there's a scenario here where Theeland has a decent game, but you worry about the ankle and a setback at this high ankle sprains reinjure all the time. There is real concern here about the efficacy and aggravation possibilities for Theeland in this game. I've got a C grade on the land

see grade on the quarterback, Kirk Cousins. Man, it's hard to be enthused about cousins chances of success coming off a game when his offensive line delivered its worst performance of the year and Mike Zimmer only through the ball twenty four times despite a practice squad. Secondary right guard Mason Cole got destroyed by a Keem Hicks last week, and here comes Aaron Donald. So I'm I'm I'm really

nervous about this game for Cousins. Now, he has scored in thirty straight games, and he's thrown multiple touchdowns in seven straight games. The floor is still high for Cousins, but I don't see the upside in this one. And I've only got the C grade on Cousins. Last guy I'll mentioned, Tyler Conklin's on the bench. Rams are middle to pack tight end defense, decent tight ends, generally fair, Okay.

The problem is Conklin's volume isn't good enough. He's seen three or fewer targets in four of the past five games. Scott let's talk Brown's Packers. It looks like gonna get a fairly heavy dose of Nick Chubb in this game. Yes, Kareem Hunt's gonna be out again. Passing game could be in shambles. What do you think about Nick Chubb against

the Packers? I have a B grade on Chubb and I could be convinced you could convince me into an A which I think you're going to try to do, just based on based on the look on your setup, I'm sensing your face say he should be in A grade. Uh. The Packers held the last three backs they faced under total a hundred total yards and only one score if you ignore Dalvin in eleven. In week eleven, that streak goes all the way back to Week six, holding running

backs under a hundred Comba yards the starting running back. So, but they don't typically see the amount of volume that Nick Chubb is gonna get. They usually see fifteen sixteen carrybacks. Nick Chubb's a twenty plus touch guy, especially with Kareem Hunt out. So with Chubb's volume, I have a B grade on him. I don't like the passing game. I think you're right. I think it runs through Chubb. I don't like the passing game. I have a bench grade

on every guy in the Browns passing game. The pack has now allowed twelve quarterback touchdowns in the last three weeks, which sounds great. And Baker mass missed last week. He's going to be back because the ten days will be up on Saturday, right before the game, so he'll be He'll be back, but he's been struggling to get over two hundred fifty yards and he rarely has multiple scored games. You're just talking about cousins with a ton of them.

Baker has three multiple scoring games on the season. That's not helping you in FT. I like the way he looked in the last game. He played um coming off the bye week and healthier, but the up the fantasy upside just isn't there. Yeah, Jarvis Landry a couple of good games, like right before the bye right as you're mentioning a couple of good games there before that, though he had three games in a row under twenty six

total yards. He's only scored once on the season. He doesn't score because Baker is not throwing a lot of touchdowns. I have him on the bench. Donovan people Jones, he looks like he should be better than his stats. Ever show that's always disappointing. You watch him play, You're like, he seems like he should be good. He seems like he should get deep shots. But he's been sub fifty yards in three the last four and the Packers pasty against watch receivers is just too good to handle it.

Donovan every day people's Jones as he's like an everyday person. Yeah, I like it. Screw you guys. Austin Hooper coming back neutralizes Najoku and Hooper, so unfortunately, yeah, yeah, on the others, no more Hooper Scoopers. On the other side, Aaron Rodgers got an A grade on him. The Browns d has kept the score low in a lot of games recently. Only one time in the last nine weeks has it has an opponent topped twenty two points against the Browns.

They're keeping the score down. That said earlier in the season, Cardinals, Chargers, Chiefs, a lot of the good teams actually scored a lot of points on them. So I put the Packers more with those good teams that they've played, Uh not like Las Vegas or um. You know. The Tim Boyle lead Detroit Lions teams like that. A grade on Rogers. He's got multiple touchdowns in thirteen of his last fourteen. Davante Adams isn't obviously he's got a hundred plus and or

score in fourth straight. You aren't benched him, Alan Lazard, buddy with my buddy A J. Dillon. He's taking take a chance on me player Randall Cobb. This will be his third game being on injured reserve, so he's he's definitely out MVS. Tested positive on Tuesday. He's likely out. Um So Lazard like, get him in there and the running game. Aaron Jones and A J. Dillon. This is just fun. It's like Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. It's just fun every week trying to figure this out. I

have a B grade this week on Aaron Jones. I have a C grade on A. J. Dillon. The Browns held down Jacobson Freeman. Um, yes, Davante Freeman twice actually the last two weeks last because they played him twice in a row with a buy in the middle. But before that they gave up huge games to Swift and and Stevenson and Mixing and Harrison and the Melvin Javonte Duo. Both were startable against them, and I think that's the

good comparable. The pass catcher did a little bit better work, and Aaron Jones is more of the past catcher than Dylan. I will mention Dylan gets way more red zone work out touching Jones to seven in the red zone the last five games that they played together. That's a lot of red zone. That's a big differential. That's a huge differential. Jones gets the receiving work. I think that's something you can bank on a little better. So I have the

B grade on Aaron Jones. The snaps have been pretty similar, touches pretty similar, so Beyon Jones Dylan. Yeah, that all that all makes sense. It's a very very tricky semifinals week. You're looking for help for COVID players, injured players. Hopefully the show can help you. But if you want to get any of the latest breaking player rankings that takes into account all the changing, shifting sands of this week number sixteen of the NFL season, we encourage you to

go to Guillotine leagues dot com. All my player ranking is available for free at Guillotine leagues dot com. When we come back three tough questions you can try to knock heads with our panel of experts. They're going to try to go three and oh, including some playoff oriented questions specifically for commissioners. We'll talk about that when we come back to Fantasy Football Weekly. Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly,

our number two of this semi finals edition. We will have one more week of our regular Fantasy Football Weekly next week. Then after that we go into off season mode of Fantasy Football Weekly. We continue to bring you fan to see Football Weekly every week of the off season, but it's podcast only and it's a shorter edition, so we encourage you if you have not already subscribed to the podcast Fantasy Football Weekly, we encourage you to do that.

And a special botus when you're listening, Charge does those from home, and he's in the studio for these. He's generally not wearing pants, and I feel like you could, Yeah, it comes over the air, it really you can tell. You can tell that I'm pants less, and that's one of the that's one of the reasons I hate coming in the studio. They're all tight about their pants. Pants. That's the reason I hate going to your house wearing pants and it's really awkward, but it's not for me.

It's just butting it all comfortable everywhere. What the how did letting it all hang out? It wasn't castanza. Was it all hang out there? And you do the pood bear? At least we have the shirt on. Yeah, just the shirt. Yeah, the pooh bear. Very nice. Tough question number one. For the rest of the season, Antonio Brown will be a wide receiver one, wide receiver too, flex or bench grade player. We begin with Scott Fish. I'm going with wide receiver two.

Notice how I'm answering your question right away this time so very much. Uh. He was wide receiver six overall in fantasy points per game before he went he went out on his injury. Uh, sounds like he's back. They say he's as healthy as he's been. Those extra three weeks while being suspended helped Godwin and Evans. Won't be taking the top coverage though anymore. I'm going wide receiver too on how much he'll get peppered with targets, but they may not be the same quality targets that they

were at the beginning of the season. Okay, Brian, Antonio Brown. The rest of the year will be a wide receiver one, wide receiver, do flex or bench. So Brown's got the Panthers this week, the Jets next week, and then the Panthers again in week eighteen. And those are the Panthers not a great matchup, but Stephan Gilmar and stuff. Those are bad offenses. The Tampa Bay is going up again, so I don't see a positive game script for Brown. If they were, you know, shootout matchups, I would say

wide receiver one because Mike Evans is banged up. We all know Chris Godwin's out for the year. Leonard Fournette probably done for the regular season. But just based on the house, the opponents are too soft f Antonio Brown, So I'm moving with Fish and going wide receiver to Brown is fresh and healthy. As you noted, he in all probability. This passing offense is going to go through

Brown h and a little too Gronk. We've seen it before, by the way, in December of last year at the end of the year, weeks fifteen through seventeen, he averaged nine targets per game eight yards, and he scored in every game weeks fifteen through seventeen last year. So the schedule is a little bit tricky, and that it's Carolina twice. Stephen Gilmore is totally legit. This secondary is great and that worries me enough. I in my mind before it looked at the schedule, I was like wide receiver one.

And I got to the schedule and I an't do it. Um. Granted, hopefully you're not playing in Week eighteen against Carolina, but some of you are. And the rest of the way, the rest of this this was phrased was rest of the season part two. It could happen, but we three years removed from that. Uh, the correct answer is wide receiver. To tough. Question number two, what is the ideal playoff tiebreaker? So to be clear, what I'm talking about is two

teams that both scored eighty seven point six points. How do you break that tie? And by the way, the most important thing is that you have a rule in place. Any rule in place, you do not want to have to figure it out after they're already as a tie. So what is the ideal playoff tiebreaker? Brian? Some people go, how did you fair head to head against your opponent in the regular season, But in most cases you've played them twice at most maybe just once. That's too small

of a sample for me. Some people go with the your highest scoring bench player. That's a two small of a sample for me too. So I just go overall points on the season. You measure who had the best season in terms of total points. So you just go back to the regular season home field advantage pretty much. So total points for the regular season is my tiebreaker. Okay, Scott that scenario, I just go top seed. I feel like they've are in the top seed, they can be it.

I I don't their home field advantage. I don't have a problem with the points. Um. I I actually hate bench scoring stuff like that. I hate I don't like how many touchdowns did your starter score because that is completely dependent on how that person wanted to design their team. Maybe it's a PPR league where they had Hunter Renfro who doesn't score a lot, and he's I don't. I don't like that you're dictating that I just have top seed.

You can't use anything involving the bench. By the way, do decimals to two places people, Yeah, you can do hundreds of place if you want to. You can't use anything involving the bench. Wins should not be a playoff wins should not be decided by the injuries or COVID status of yours or your opponents bench. You know you're playing to get the best possible starting lineup you could have, so that's out. UM. You should not use any previous

results to Brian's point earlier, um, small sample size. And Brian and I played each other in week six and I had four guys different thing and he didn't. Yeh right, so who knows. That's not good. It's got to be something that happened from this week. Total yards of all of your starters, not including kickers in defense gives me a pretty damn accurate estimation as to whose players had the best week. And you won't get a tie. And it's less flukey than the touch totally flukey than the touchdowns.

And to tie, you can tie touchdowns too. You could have five and I can have five. Now you're gonna tie again. You're never gonna tie in total yards technically you could, though, sure I've got eight hundred ninety two and you're gonna have eight ninety two total yards. Not gonna happen. I that is the correct answer. Tough question number three. You're on the clock for pick four of the first round of next year's draft. So we're advancing

the clock to next August. Off the board or Jonathan Taylor, Javante Williams because Melvin Gordon signed somewhere else, and Cooper cup are off the board. Who are you taking? Pick four? You're on the clock, Scott. I thought for a moment, just to be sneaky and weird, I thought about taking Mark Andrews because I love Mark Andrews. But I did not go that route. I went and played it safe with a guy who has eighty plus yards and or

a score in every game but one. He's had like thirty or twelve plus Fantasy points in every game but one. He is as consistent as they come this year and next year. It might even be better the the other guy on the other side of the field. You know, he's declined a little bit. They need to make a move to talk. I'm setting it up. It is the best wide receiver in the NFL. Justin Jefferson. Oh okay, Justin Jefferson, Brian your number four of next year's draft.

Jonathan Taylor, Javonte Williams, and Cooper Cupper off the board? Who are you taking? I was gonna go wide receiver to not Justin Jefferson was still gonna Davante Adams. I'm not. I'm not going with Adams either. I'm going back to Derrick Henry. Um only eight games played this year, He's still like running back seven right now, while most running backs have played thirteen fourteen games. I don't think the wheels have not fallen off Henry entirely. He's not falling

off the cliff however you want to put it. Who'll be turning twenty eight going into next year. He didn't get crazy usage in his first three seasons in the NFL. Yes, his last two seasons he's seen three or three rushing attempts three hundred seventy eight last year. But I'm bank he could come back this year. By the way, for

the playoffs, the big to come back this year. So assuming he doesn't seriously injured himself with the remainder the season, he goes through training camp unscathed, I'm just gonna go back to Derrick Henry. You're not gonna win your league because of him, but you're not gonna lose your league

by taking Derrick Henry fourth overall. One more year Henry's got has premium production left in him, by the way, best wide receiver not named Cooper Cup I should say best wide receiver on the board, justin Jevers that is, that's probably true. Um, Derrick Henry is very tempting, and I think he will go in this spot in most drafts. But the problem is one thousand, five hundred touches for Derrick Henry. The injuries have already started, and I worry

they're gonna keep mounting. And I'm not taking him and picked four. Next year, we are going with Travis Kelsey and inconsistent. Even in this a more inconsistent season than most of his past several he's still the top scoring tight end and all probability this year he's basically tied almost with Mark and Andrews in receptions, yards and touchdowns for number one, And just what's how do you not?

I do argue with any of that? In the tight end position remains fraught with danger, agony, pain people trying to find anybody with a pulse Outside of Andrews and Kelsey, it's been a brutally or even other guys that we like, like George Kittle, Dawson Knox have missed long stretches of games. You get a guy who never misses games at the at the positions, at the position of greatest scarcity. You know who's regretted drafting Travis Kelsey over the last five years,

Over the last five years, nobody ever. And that's why he is the correct answer for pick number four and next year's draft. I figured you'd go there. It wasn't hard, Thank you very much. Davante Adams was gonna be my was my number two choice. By the way, see where's it gonna be? Who's this quarterback? And threw it out is I don't know who's quarterback is gonna be Patrick? I know who Patrick Mahomes is gonna be thrown to, and it's Travis Kelsey. Let's go back to the matchups. Oh, hey,

it's me Pittsburgh Steels taking that Kansas City. Hey, that's my matchup. Um, you'll want to as we talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers, you want to watch the status of the Kansas City secondary, specifically starting cornerbacks chair Various Warden, Rashad Fenton. They're in the COVID protocol and right now I'm assuming they're out, and so the grades you're going to hear are actually uh now my grades are in

as if they are playing. You can bump everybody up a letter grade if they do not go so right now, I'm assuming they're out. No, I'm assuming they're in. I'm confusing myself. Now I'm assuming they're in. You can bump everybody up. Ben Roethlisberger on the bench. He whipped badly in a smash spot last week, and I can't recommend him in a far tougher matchup against a much improved Chiefs past defense. No opposing quarterback is top two hundred

sixty three yards and seven games. Kansas City allowing just one passing touchdown per game since Week eight, and I think that's about what one touchdown feels about right for Ben here, the loss of touchdown score Pat Fryarmouth is a big loss ends up to this and he is not expected to play in this game. Let's talk about Yante Johnson. In the five games prior to last week's dud, Diante had commanded double digit targets in every game. I

averaged ninety two yards and he scored three times. Nobody will benefit more then Johnson, if Ward and or Fenton can't go in this game. Chief secondaries improved a lot, but they've given up five scorers and four seventy five yard receivers in the last five games. Johnson's a B grade for now. Chase Claypool is so dangerous. It's been

a brutal couple of weeks for Chase. Chase Claypool. He selfishly botched the end of the Minnesota game two weeks ago, and then last week he saw the lowest snap count of his season, just thirty one plays, and he finished last week with one reception. It sure looks like he's in the doghouse. Ray Ray McLeod had more snaps and more targets than Chase Claypool last week. Claypool assuming when he is on the field to see a fair amount of the Chiefs only non COVID cornerback Mike Hughes, who

has been shockingly competent. And that's why just the C grade on Chase Claypool in this game, all right, then, Nazi Harris, I think he bounces back from last week's horrific game. Despite a dominant stretch over the middle of the season, Kansas City has been giving up a lot of yards lately, to opposing running backs over the last three games, opposing runners averaging one hundred eighty one total yards per game. That is staggering. That would be the

worst total if applied over a full season. One total yards per game. Steeler's offensive line, though, is so bad that I can't give Harris An a grade in this game like I would want to, and he's posted so many duds. Still, this looks like a good opportunity for him and a B grade for Nazi Harris alright, let's go over to Kansas City, which has got its own issues, well,

actually a lot of issues. Uh. Tyreek Kill and Travis Kelsey in the COVID protocol both could be cleared before kickoff, so apply your own judgment and what you've learned closer to kick off. Tyreek Hills and obvious A if he can go. Um, even with all of mahomess ups and downs over the past two months, he's been by in large, very consistent obvious A for him. Travis Kelsey, though, um, I'm only giving a B grade even if he can go.

Despite last week's obvious blow up game, it was just his second game with a touchdown in the last nine weeks and the steel is really good against tight ends. That sounds like a guy you should take. Justin Jefferson over correct. Josin Jefferson also would be great in this this week. I'm just kidding. That's fine. No tight end is scored in ten weeks against Pittsburgh. No tight end

his top fifty yards in six games against Pittsburgh. Other excellent tight ends like Darren Waller, t J. Hockenson, Mark Andrews. Those guys averaged three catches thirty eight yards. None of them scored. That's why I've only got the B grid and Travis Kelsey. If he can go in this game, and if they can't go in this game, you may be happened to pivot to Mi Cole Hardman, Josh Gordon, Byron Pringle, or DeMarcus Robinson. But that's the whole problem.

Which one would you even pivot too? In that scenario, you'd be just throwing darts and that's not worth anything. Good luck figuring out which guy would be the best one. We won't pivot to any of those guys. So what to do about Patrick Mahomes? B greade on him will upgrade him to an A. If Hill and Kelsey become available. If not, I worry about an unusually run heavy game plan favoring Clyde Edwards a layer against a terrible Steelers run defense. And let's talk about Clyde Edwards a layer

for a minute. If you believe like I do, that this team is gonna run more than they usually do, you'll like Clyde. His sent snapshare last week was a great indicator, although it didn't turn into a lot of good stats for the Steelers. Every game seems to keep getting easier. This team has allowed one fifty nine total yards per game, third most to opposing running backs, and they've just been gouged over the last three weeks in particular.

So Clyde Edwards Larry won't get all of the hundred fifty nine yards, but I think he could get easily to one hundred yards. And he gets a B grade in this game. And you could pivot if if necessary, to Darryl Williams as well, who continues to be a shockingly big part of this game plan and continues to be productive. And again, Steelers a terrible run defense. Let's take a break when we come back. New York Giants take on the Philadelphia Eagles, Giants passing game is a disaster.

But say Kwan Barkley, what do you do about him and a tricky matchup with the Eagles. Yeah, we'll talk that through in moments when we come back to segment number two, our number two Fantasy Football Weekly, Welcome back Fantasy Fall Weekly. Paul Charchy and Scott Fish and Brian Johnson with you. If you'd like to follow us on Twitter, you can do so. I am at Paul Charchy and Scott is at Scott Fish twenty four and Brian is that bt x J which sounds like a weather thing?

When you got that random X, like right in the middle of things, do you want to do a lot of quick the quick origin Actually I don't know. I'm not gonna say what my middle name is, but it's sorts of the T. But the X. You have to pick a confirmation name, right if I didn't go to Catholic school, but I went to like Sunday School or whatever. When you get confirmed, you pick a saint and I went with with Xavier because I grew up liking the

Knicks and Davior McDaniel. And you're supposed to do a speech on like why you you picked the Saint, and I did say that, and okay, thankfully it wasn't in the days where I get beaten by like a yardstick, by a note, but they were not. And that's always kind of be like my user name, so I picked us my Twitter name. You've carried it across all this time.

Chargers take on the Texans, Brian, it looks like Austin Ekeler is not gonna go in this game, and man, whoever does start, he's got a juicy matchup against a bad run defense. Yeah, yeah, I was gonna give Eckler the A, but uh, basically, in his own words, it's not looking good for him to play, even though he is vaccinated, but he's not feeling too hot. So under that assumption, I'm gonna, I mean, if Eckler goes, gonna give him the A. But it's really looking like it's

gonna be Justin Jackson and the Joshua Kelly. I'll give Jackson a B and Kelly a C. And this one it's a great matchup. Houston has allowed the most rushing yards and the second most rushing touchdowns to opposing running back, So just a situation you're gonna have to monitor leading up monitor leading up to kickoff. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like is gonna go though, um Keenan Allen will go knock on wood. Hopefully he goes. Uh, no reason he wouldn't.

Opposing wide receivers haven't posted big numbers lately against Houston, but the competition has been pretty weak outside of Tyler Lockett. Very comparable Tyler Lockett to Keenan Allen lock It at five catches, one two yards and one touchdown against the Texans in Week fourteen. So Alan gets an a Mike Williams man major disappointment after a monstrous start to the season, just to see for him here. But Williams six four two five pounds will square off most with the five ten,

two hundred pound Desmond King on the outside. He just surrendered at least fifty yards and already touchdown in three of his last four games with a safe sea. Yeah, but yeah, it's anything safe with him. And how many times have we got to talk about positive matchups for Mike Williams that he does not make good on. I know you gotta temper your expectations with Williams, but he does.

He's he's pretty much a boom or a bus player, but it is a it is a boom matchup, or it should be, but no promises there um a great

matchup for Jared Cook. Because of the unfortunate and scary injury to teammate Donald Parham last Thursday, Parham unlikely to go, so Cook should see the most of the work at tight end for the Argers against the Texans, who have allowed the fourth most touch tight end touchdowns and just last week, Jacksonville's James O'Shaughnessy and Chris man Hurts combined for five catches and seventy one yards against Houston, So

that's almost a safe floor for cooking this matchup. And speaking of safe, justin Herbert the air Bear get today again. The Houston secondary looks like it's been playing better as of late, but they faced the Jaguars, the Seahawks, the Jets, the Titans, the Dolphins before good quarterbacks to face the Texans.

Russell Wilson and Josh Allen, Kyler Murray and Matthew Stafford have averaged two sixty nine yards and two and a half passing touchdowns and a half that that's a floor for the air Bear here, so he gets the a and Rex Burkhead. I'm sorry we go over to Houston now. Not a lot to talk about here. Rex Burkhead the Sea Rex was might take a chance to be running back. Great matchup for him. Brandon Cooks gets to see might not play. Probably will helped a lot of people advance

or surviving their guillete league. Last week. I don't like his prospects. Prospects as much of this week he doesn't. He's not playing the Jaguars again. The Chargers have given up good wide receiver numbers as of late, but that's been to the Chiefs, the Bengals, the Steelers of the Vikings, all those teams have multiple good receivers on their team. It's all Brandon Cooks for Houston. He's gonna draw a ton of attention from Assante Samuel tend Or Derwin James.

Just for the listeners. He tested positive on Wednesday, so he can test out. He could test out if if it turns out, he's just close contact whatever. No, he tested positive, Okay, so yeah'm not looking good for Cooks and if he does go, uh, temporary expectations for him. Not gonna mention any other wide receivers for the Texans. Even if Cooks somehow sits, he can't go Nico little too risky for a week sixteen And sadly, my boy Davis Mills also on the bench, and this one is

not a good week. No. And we like Davis Mills and what he's been able to do, but it's it's not he has and he's been fantasy friendly and a lot of a lot of spots where nobody would have expected it. Sure Scott for the Giants, I don't think we need to spend really any time on the passing game left by is it Jake from right game? No, they're being coy with it because there's a distinct is

it Glenden? Is it from that's you know that's a competitive advantage, right, But let's talk about ske Kwon Barkley, the only guy that a playoff team might be considering starting. Yeah, yeah, it's it's not been great. And we were mentioning off air that him and Booker both looked like you couldn't tell who is who because the Booker looked good, and there's their snaps and their touches were split more evenly than you'd like. I Barkley, I am giving a C

grade too. And here's why he gets about three to six catches every game. He gets about thirty yards receiving most games or more forty whatever. But here's his yardage lines in the last seven or so games. Fifty seven yards, fifty two fifty five, sixty four fifty Those are the rushing stats. Just rushing, he's getting you five to six points rushing, he's getting you a few catches, he's getting you twenty thirty. You're you're already up to ten, eleven,

twelve exactly. That's basically all you're getting. So I'm giving him a C grade. That's like a sea worthy amount. On the other side, Jalen Hurts. Jalen Hurts, I have an eight grade on Jalen Hurts. He has finished as a top twelve quarterback this year nine times, nine times, nine plus another two times, making eleven total. When when he doesn't get it done with his arm, his legs get it done. I don't know if did you miss that that I added to to make it eleven total.

I just wanted you to play the calendar. Sometimes you get both and the Celia sky High. Four weeks ago these two Matt he had three rushing touchdowns. Since then, the Giants of alloudon average of nearly two hundred and fifty yards and two scores passing. You might you might get the double deps, you might get the double dip here A grade on Hurts, C grade on DeVonta Smith. With the running game becoming a bigger and bigger thing,

the passing game has really fallen off. Smith doesn't hit those AIRB categories anymore, but he has top forty yards in three straight. He's got that that upside. He's he can occasionally score touchdowns. The Giants have allowed fifty plus yards and or score to eight wide receivers in just the last three weeks. This is the only wide receiver you can start. But I'm only giving him a C grade. Dallas Goddard a grade hundred plus and two straight fifty

plus and or scoring eight of his thirteen games. That's like, that's that's really you just plug and play him when he's starting. The Giants has given up a lot of big plays the big days to tight ends. Ten different tight ends have gone for sixty plus and or a score. That's yeah, it's definitely a grade there. In the running game. I told you Jordan Howard was might take a chance on me runner. That's because the girls are running constantly. They're the first team with a hundred seventy five plus

rushing yards in seven straight games since the Bears. Wow. Yeah, thanks to Adam Aser for that stat um. This is this is a team that gives the running backs over thirty touches per game. If Sanders go he should. He's he's got a quad inury he's dealing with. He played right u ntil the end of the last game. If Sanders goes, I have an A grade on him. He exploded last week. He should be in line for fifteen

to twenty touches. The Giants are allowing, just like the Eagles are doing thirty plus touches to running backs the game. Hundred forty plus totally yards and back to back for Sanders. So I have an A grade on Sanders a C grade on Howard, hoping he gets that ten plus touches that he normally gets. Bears take down the Seahawks, and let's talk to the Bear side of this. Beginning with

David Montgomery. We'll start with the running game here. Slumping Seattle run defense allowing the fifth most rushing attempts, the most receptions, the fourth most receiving yards per game to opposing back so the last five weeks, and Montgomery a capable receiver, so I think he cashes in aaron ground here. They've also given up four touchdowns to runners over the

last five games. He could find the end zone. On Tuesday, Sony Walkman and Darryl Henderson combined for a hundred forty two total yards against Seattle, and really, Montgomery doesn't share much workload with anybody else, he might get a lot of that same kind of hundred forty two. I could see him easily going over a hundred here in the touchdowns, certainly within the realm of possibility. I've got a B grade on David Montgomery. Let's go to the passing game

where Justin Fields get this. I don't think most listeners would guess this. Justin Fields has been a top ten fantasy quarterback in four straight weeks. All four full games. He has thrown for at least two hundred eighty five yards and or multiple scores in his last three full games, and over the last five weeks, he's averaged eight rushing attempts in fifty six rushing yards which gives him a very safe floor for fantasy production as well. When you

get those rushing yards. Seattle is allowedly three hundred passing yards and or multiple passing touchdowns in four the last five games. I've got to be grade on Justin Fields. If the Jaguars could turn back the clock, do they take Justin Fields number one overall? Don't they? I think they would. I mean it would have it probably would not be Trevor Lawrence. But I don't think Justin Fields has yet turned this into any kind of mandate. I don't know. That's a great question though, but and one

for probably a different show. When we're trying to kill time in February, that's our time to talk about that that particular topic. I think, all right, let's go to Darnell Mooney, the number one receiver for Justin Fields. He's had exactly five receptions in four of the past five games, but five receptions for him could mean anything between twenty seven yards and a hundred twenty three yards. I wish

you'd find the end zone more often as well. For Mooney just three touchdowns on the season, which is a little bit disappointing. Seattle, listen, give up a lot of scores to wide receivers. Prior to Cooper Cups breakout game on Tuesday, no receiver had scored in five straight games against Seattle, so I can only get him to a C grade on yardage when I don't expect Mooney to score. Alan Robinson should be off the COVID list by kickoff, but he's barely played in two months and the matchups

not that favorable, so he's on the bench. Cole Commet is a startable commodity at tight end, averaging a whopping eight targets per game over the last month, or as Scott Fish would call it, nine one targets over the last month. Seattle has been hammered by high volume tight ends lately. George Kittle zach Ertz killed him. Now, granted they're way better than Cole Commet, but still only three teams have allowed more tight end touchdowns than Seattle's eight,

So I like Commet. Here spots start, So Jimmy Graham guaranteed touchdown? Can probably he's so far. Hey, revenge game, Jimmy Graham, second second leg of the That is a good point. Revenge game, Jimmy Graham. But we're not starting Jimmy Graham, We're giving the dart throw to cold Commet. Let's go to the Seattle side. Okay, what to do with Russell Wilson after the great start of the season averaging a full touchdown? Oh sorry, that is sorry, wrong

guy for Russell Wilson. We're gonna upgrade him to a B if a bunch of the members of the Bears secondary are out again, which is possible, and unlike Minnesota last week, Seadle is actually gonna throw on the Bears. Why the Vikings didn't to me is utterly head scratching, and I don't understand it. Seattle will not make the same mistake. The Bears have allowed the second most passing touchdowns over the last five weeks. You can start Russell Wilson.

I've got a C grade on him now, It'll be higher if a lot of that secondary does not come back from COVID. So how about his receivers? Tyler Lockett expected to clear the COVID protocol by kickoff. He's got a favorable matchup in the slot, a position that Chicago keeps trying and failing to fix by rotating various guys in. I think they'll try Xavier Crawford if he's available. If he can't go, they might have to go all the way down to Marquis Christian who is allowing a perfect

passer rating in his coverage. So I like Tyler Locket here a lot. He was red hot before the COVID list as well, So I've got a B grade on Tyler Lockett. Then the DK Metcalf, Wow, he has not scored a touchdown since Week eight, total disaster. After being a very bankable commodity at the start of the season, He's had a bunch of positive matchups and failed to come through for you. This is another one. Take it with a grain of salt. If Chicago's best cornerback, Jalen

Johnson returns from COVID, he will shadow Metcalf here. Johnson had a similar assignment against Davanta Adams two weeks ago, although they're totally different receivers, and he allowed fifty eight yards and a touchdown in his coverage. If Johnson can't go, we'll bump DK Metcalf up to a B. But I've got him into C grade right now. So then the Seattle running backs, so we've had Rashad Penny had the blow up game two weeks ago when he when he had two long runs for touchdowns and he did absolutely

nothing last week. Then also disturbing last week, DJ Dallas had a fifty percent time share with Rashad Penny. Now kim Kiem Hicks is out, so maybe that makes things a little bit easier to run up the middle. But the Bears have been a really good run defense. It's only allowed one runner to top eighty nine yards all season long. They just bottled up way better running back Dalvin Cook for three point two yards per carry last week. I just I can't. I can't advocate any of these guys.

I'm keeping them all on the bench in bench grades for Penny and d J Dallas. Gerald Evard tight end also on the bench mile He's been mildly fantasy relevant lately, but Chicago has been an elite tight end defense, including a ranking fourth among all defenses in tight end defense. UM, let's try to work in one more matchup. Tampa Bay Carolina can go quick, alright, good, then let's do it. Ronald Jones, was you take a chance to be running back? Charge?

That's a pretty easy call. I like that one. Mike Evans not so easy. You can give him a see he's gonna try and play through this hamstring injury, but likely to be shadowed by Stephan Gilmour plus the hammy these are very very bad things, so we see both of them for Mike Evans. Antonio Brown, gonna give him a buh. Brown will seemingly step into the Chris Godwin role that Godwin had when Antonio Brown was out. Now Antonio Brown is in without Chris Godwin, so we're basically

looking at guaranteed double digit targets for Brown. Caroline has surrendered seven wide receiver touchdowns over their last four games, so if you're super desperate, you can also throw a seed dart Eva harpoon at Scott, don't call me Scotty anymore. Miller uh in deeper league, Scott Miller uh Worth worth the shot, and Rob Gronkowski certainly worth the shot. And I should say divisional matchup first meeting very rare. We

we mentioned it earlier in the show. They're gonna play again in week eighteen, so there's not any recent history here, but I'm gonna give be Uh a gran could be a tough matchup. Over the last week. The Panthers up loudly sixteenth most Fantasy points to opposing type ends, and on the year, Carolina has only allowed two top twelve finishes to the position. But Gronk should push double digit targets in this one as well. He's an easy start, and Brady Tom Brady, of course not very easy start

because of the loss of Chris Godwin. Leonard Fournett, the hobbled Mike Evans still gave him a be um despite the fact the Panthers only fourth lowest opponent passing play percentage and are allowing just one seventy nine passing yards per game. That's the second fewest. But I don't trust the Bucks run game a whole lot. I still like Ronald Jones won't get me wrong charge, and Carolina's offense should struggle to stay on the field. So let's talk

about them for about five seconds. Tuba Hubbard, Uh, he's on the bench. The Bucks are allowing just ninety six combo yards and just over half a touchdown per game to running backs. Well, and he's not good enough to keep a mirror Abdula off the field. Tuba not gooding? Just stop? You know, DJ Moore if he plays, he's dealing with a hamstring injury himself. I will give him

a see just based on expected volume. Uh, he should be a lot for double digit targets if he goes as far as the quarterbacks go for Carolina, we'll see the sum of Sam Darnold come back nothing and stills confidence like we're starting camp. But you'll see Sam darn cam les say about cam Well, his play on the field says a lot. It's overall this very very gross for Carolina. I know poor d J. Moore deserves better than what he's gotten through that offense. When we come back,

final segment for Fantasy Football Weekly. In this semi finals edition, including Denver Broncos taking on the Las Vegas Raiders, Javante Williams is just gonna be one of his big games. He was trending towards more use last week. We'll see what Scott Fish has to say about his prospects when we return the final segment of the semi final edition of Fantasy Football Weekly. It's three matchups left, beginning with Denver taking on the Las Vegas Raiders. Scott talked to

me about the running back situation. We saw Javonte Williams edge out a little bit of a lead and runs and touches last week. Do you think that continues? I do. I do. I have Williams slightly over Gordon, but I still have them both B grades. I wish I could give one of them a B plus, but appearingly I cannot do that on this show. Uh. Since Gordon has returned, Gordon has outtouched Williams four, Williams has has out gained Gordon. Williams gets more receiving work, Gordon gets a ton more

red zone touches eleven to three. It's split all over. But the snaps went really down for Gordon last week, and I wonder if that's a trend because they were going down two weeks in a row before the injury as well. So I like Williams a little bit more. I do have B grades on both of them. In the passing game. This is one of those super weird I like Drew Lock. You had him as you take a chance. I don't know who to start. He was great with Sutton two years ago in the one game earlier.

This year's Sutton had like fifty yards, but Judy didn't play. Judy didn't play, and at the end of last year, Locke was great with Judy. Judy like had a hundred and forty yards in this matchup last year with Locke. But can we trust it here? Can we trust Tim Patrick? Do you want to trust Fanton Albert? Oh? Together they had fifty seven and fifty eight yards last week. No, the Raiders have allowed a lot of touchdowns to tight ends, but not a lot of yards. You don't know where

it's going. I'm starting no receivers for the Bronco, but I'm starting the quarterback. It makes sense. On the other side, Derek Carr, I have a bench grade on Over the last five games, the Broncos held Prescott, Hurts, Mahomes, Goff Burrow, all under two and thirty five yards. And those aren't terrible quarterbacks, won't you know? Say what you go a buck off? But the rest pretty good, three of them

under two hundred. Uh Car On the other side, he's thrown for about an average of two hundred and fifty yards of the last five, but just three touchdown passes over the last five. I have him on the bench. I have the tight ends on the bench. Waller is probably not gonna go, and if he doesn't, Moreau is gonna get the work. But the Broncos defense hasn't allowed to tight end over thirty yards in six weeks. Hunter renfro Though, b Grade. At this point, you just got

to believe he's a stud. It was a little bit of a dud last week. Before that, he had a hundred plus yards in three straight eight plus catches. He's getting tons of targets. Even even last week he add a decent amount of targets. I think he goes back to the double digits here. Um, last time they played he at eight for seventy three. I think this is this is a spot where he's going to get bad again. Uh Josh Jacobs, b Grade. It was nice to see Jacobs get back to the eighteen plus touches after a

light day in week fourteen. Drake is still out. Jacobs is getting that catching works seventeen catches and less since Jacob's gone since uh Kennan Drake has gone out. So you're gonna see three, four, five, six catches. You're gonna see B level workout of Jacob's here, all right, washington't know, I'm actually I go last sorry, we go to Miami

taking on the Saints. Bryan Guy almost nailed might take a chance of running back last week with Salvin Acamed I knew a backup and running back for the Dolphins can go off, but it was Duke Johnson, which was kind of odd because Myles Gaston was running well. Maybe maybe a little lingering effects of COVID UH more of a time split. I'm looking at here. I got them both on the bench. It's a tough matchup. The Saints have allowed the fourth fewest rushing yards UH and the

fifth fewest touchdowns will opposing running backs. You can't trust either of the either of these guys in the semifinals this week, so both on the bench. Jalen Waddle though not on the bench. He will make his return from COVID reserve. We're gonna give him a B. He will line up most often against Saints slot corner Chauncey Gardner Johnson. Pro Football focuses on fifty first ranked corner Love Waddle

and his return and DeVante Parker. Canna give him a C. He could avoid Marshawn Laddi if he stays on the left side. Primarily there's a small chance they have Lattimore shadow Parker, but either way, I think too. Of throws it a ton in this game, and Parker plays well when he's healthy, take advantage of advantage of that when possible, and he is healthy right now, So I like Parker. I will start Mike Gasicki with a s grit. I

don't like him a whole lot though. Since his goose egg in Week ten, Gaski has only been averaging five targets and thirty nine yards per game. He hasn't scored since weeks seven. The Saints have only given up given up three touchdowns to tight ends all season, and over the last five weeks posing tight ends are averaging just forty three yards per game. I do like two of though he was might take a chance and met quarterback and now speak of taking a chance on a quarterback.

Don't take a chance on Ian Book who's most likely will be starting this game with Tayso Hill testing positive for COVID Book, Yeah, he's on the bench. All the receivers are on the bench, and really they were gonna be on the bench anyway, even with Tayston Hill a quarterback like this also hurts Camara too, obviously. Yeah, I like to Camara a little more with Hill at quarterbacks. A book in college, like through his running backs, like

twenty percent of time in the preseason. Like Lot's a good sign that he'll be leaning on Kamara a lot. But uh, but so the Dolphins who to voke key in on it's Alvin Kamara is just to see for him. The Dolphins are the only team that has not allowed a single running back touchdown over the last five weeks. Opposing backs of average the third fewest rush attempts over that span. The Dolphins have only allowed two receiving touchdowns all season. Kamara went the bed last week. You could

do it again, but uh, you can't. You can't bench him, So he gets a sea Watchington takes on the Dallas Cowboys, and there's not a lot to like on the Washington side of this. Uh. Antonio Gibson miss practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a toe injury. J D. Mckissics on, I are Jared Patterson might be the last minute. It is worth noting Gibbs had played almost the entire game on the toe. That is true, and I'm not reading too much too much into that at this point. So

we'll we'll assume he's gonna start in this one. The only thing going for him is just volume. He's averaging twenty four touches per game since Week nine, but he's not doing anything with it. He's been below four yards per carry in four straight games, so and Dallas is giving up four and a half yards per carry. So that gives Gibson a little bit of hope here. Opposing number one receivers. Sorry, runners have scored in three of

the past four for Dallas. So I've got a B grade, and Antonio Gibson under the assumption he's gonna go and get the twenty four carries he usually gets. The passing game, I don't like very much. Taylor heineke Is has cleared the protocol, but he's start exactly one touchdown in six of the past eight games, including his last game, which was against these same Cowboys. It's just one touchdown. If he's gonna get it, it'll go to Terry McLaren. Fortunately,

Cowboys secondary has been vulnerable lately. McLaren has been has done by the way, but you can dust him off here with a C grade. Dallas giving up one hundred seventy eight yards per game to receivers. That's sixth most McLaren's gonna draw a lot of cornerback Trayvon Diggs. But as I like to remind people, he's allowed the most yards of any player in his coverage eight hundred yards charged to Trayvon Digs. So far, let's go to the Dallas side. Many Washington players still in the COVID protocol,

and maybe most significantly among them, two starting cornerbacks. Kendall Fuller's in the COVID protocol as well, and William Jackson's just beat up. So we're gonna follow their status pretty closely here and see what we can figure out for them. For Dak Prescott continually disappointing in a month of straight good matchups on paper, he continues to disappoint, and I

keep grading and fire, then he ends up finishing. He's now thrown one touchdown pass in three straight games and averaging just two two passing yards over those games, and one of those games is against Washington two weeks ago. So I love the On paper, he should be in a grade, but I'm only giving him a B grade here, and frankly, it's put recent play do he does to

me personally because he's let me down. Ceedee Lamb has posted has posted seven catches for six He did post seven catches sixty one scoreless yards when these teams met a couple of weeks ago, and that's almost exactly his average game over the last three seven catches sixty one yards, which is very average. Washington's a middle of the pack receiver defense, um, but again they could be missing two key cornerbacks, at which point I would upgrade Ceedee Lamb from a B to an A. A. Marie Cooper, what

a disaster season has spent for him. His fifty one yards against Washington two weeks ago is the most he has had in any of his last five games, fifty one yards. Washington has improved the middle of the pack against receivers over the last six games, is giving up a hundred fifty yards per game to the position. So just a C grade on a Marie Cooper C grade. And Michael Gallup who's getting targets, but he is not doing a lot with them unfortunately, and it hasn't scored

only one tour score on the season so far. And then the last guy in the passing game dimension, Dalton Sheltz, only one catch for four score less yards when these teams first met in Week fourteen, But the football team will be playing on a short week and they were just lit up by Dallas Goddard. So there's that. Then what do you do about Zeke and Pollard? Elliot's now gone eight consecutive games a thout clearing sixty yards on the ground, which is gross. Pollard shockingly active last week

coming off his and he did look good. Really they should both be bench grades, but I'm gonna put give Zeke a C grade because he continues to get the ball at the strike and that might be your best chance for him against a very good Washington run defense. I'm leaving Pollard on the bench. So there you go. Who all right? Play? Some part of this holds up for you in the semifinals, a lot of moving parts really testing your skills. Will be back next week for

the championship edition of Fantasy Football Weekly. Fantasy Football Weekly is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.