2014 FANTASY FOOTBALL QB RANKINGS

With the 2013 fantasy football season in the books, let's take our first very early look at the 2014 QB rankings as we go through all the positions before we put things to bed for awhile.

1.  Peyton Manning:  55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards.  Allow that to sink in all offseason.  Wow.
2.  Aaron Rodgers:  Yeah this past season was a bit rough with injury and not having the Packers QB for the playoff weeks but on talent alone Rodgers is still as good as it gets.
3.  Drew Brees:  Eventually age will take a toll as Brees turns 35 but so far there are no signs of slippage.  Playing in a Dome and in a West Coast system helps.
4. Nick Foles:  This is not a misprint.  Foles proved a natural for Chip Kelly's system and a 27/2 TD/INT ratio says it all.
5.  Tony Romo:  Will likely be undervalued again but not by me.  Give the guy his due already.
6.  Matt Ryan:  I will likely wind up with Ryan again next season as his price slipped due to the injuries around the Falcons offense.  This passing attack can be extremely explosive though so take advantage of the discount.
7.  Tom Brady:  Brady is getting up there now in age and with Rob Gronkowski no sure bet to ever stay healthy,  the 25 TD's he tossed last season are more where he stays now instead of his days in the 30's.
8. Andrew Luck:  Look for yet more improvement by this future star. 
9.  Philip Rivers:  Rivers proved to be a sweet bargain in 2013 as he proved he is not done yet with 4.478 yards and 32 touchdowns.  Loves the Mike Riley system.
10. Matthew Stafford:  The guy was terrific all season until December when he decided to throw more to the other team than his own receivers.  Extremely dependent on Calvin Johnson staying healthy which is always dicey.
11. Cam Newton:  You all like him more than me.  Terrific athlete and player but the fantasy football numbers don't match up with many of the guys listed earlier in this list.
12. Russell Wilson:  The guy has a knack for touchdowns which is all that matters in most leagues despite a middling yardage total.  Also ran for more than 500 yards last season which is not to be overlooked.
13. Andy Dalton:  A guy I like more than you.  On paper had a career-year with 33 touchdowns and 4,296 yards.  However the 20 touchdowns led to more than a few hair pulling moments.  Tremendous weaponry at Dalton's disposal.
15. Ben Roethlisberger:  Few realize how good Big Ben was in 2013 as he threw 28 touchdowns due to the Steelers missing the playoffs.  I have been a critic in the past but the Steelers are now clearly a passing offense which has me selling off on an investment. 
16. Colin Kaepernick:  Lots of flash last season and in Week 1 this season but not so much from that point on.  Overrated by many which I said was the case last summer.
17. Ryan Tannehill:  Showed marked improvement in his second full season with 23 touchdowns and he too can help a bit on the ground.
18. Jay Cutler:  Never a fan due to interception-heavy ways and injuries.  Also a free agent whose new locale is imperative as far as projecting his future.
19. Mike Glennon:  Quietly had a terrific rookie season.  Has nice weapons around him and a cannon arm.  Good value.
20. Carson Palmer:  Not a guarantee Palmer is back with Arizona next season but if he doesn't get released, a carbon copy of 2013 is likely.
21. Robert Griffin III:  Hope you all listened when I told to stay far away from Griffin last season.  His skills look a bit diminished and his attitude is horrible.  Move on.
22. Alex Smith:  Solid and steady but never lights up the stat sheet.
23. Eli Manning:  Listen Eli Manning is not nearly as bad as he looked all of 2013.  Sure he throws interceptions but the Giants didn't block for him one bit.  Look for a decent rebound.
24. Joe Flacco:  Never a numbers guy to begin with which means he is not someone who wasn't to invest in next season.
25. Sam Bradford:  Saw some good things out of Bradford before he got hurt but time is running out.
26. E.J. Manuel:  Some potential here but Manuel has a long way to go before we try this.

There you have it.  As always let us hear what you think.  Post your thoughts below.  Let us get a debate going on all of this.

2013 FANTASY FOOTBALL ALL BUST TEAM

We already discussed our 2013 fantasy football All Pro team a few days ago and the flip side of that is the All Bust team.  Players that failed to come close to their expected level of performance whether through injury, slumps, or a combination of the two.  Let's see who ruined more teams this season.

QB (3)

Robert Griffin III/Colin Kaepernick/Aaron Rodgers:  Correctly called both Griffin and Kaepernick busts before the season as they both went along with the script.  Both guys grossly underperformed from what was expected, while Rodgers makes the list simply for being absent for the most crucial weeks of the season due to injury.  Was all set to put Andrew Luck here until a nice finish.

RB (3)

Ray Rice/Arian Foster/C.J. Spiller/Doug Martin:  I was right on with my bust picks this season as I also wrote preseason pieces telling you all to avoid Foster and Spiller.  Foster worried me due to declining yards per carry and a very heavy workload the previous few seasons while Spiller was a guy I never envisioned being able to handle a full allotment of carries.  Meanwhile Rice shocked me at how awful he was from start to finish.  He could be looking at an early fade to his career due to his slight and stocky build taking a lot of pounding.  Yes I included a fourth runner in Martin as it was impossible not to include him since he played poorly before being lost for the season with a shoulder issue.

WR (5)

Julio Jones/Danny Amendola/Reggie Wayne/Mike Wallace/Roddy White:  Tough year to be a Falcons wide receiver as both Jones and White made the list.  Jones was put on like with Reggie Wayne due to missing the majority of the season with injury, while White himself was hobbled all year and played poorly when in the lineup.  He did finish strong however but by that time his original owners likely cut him loose and saw someone else benefit from that run.  Meanwhile I also called both Amendola and Wallace preseason busts and they came through in a major way with the former dealing with more injuries and the latter having issues connecting with a very young passer.

TE (2)

Jason Witten/Rob Gronkowski:  Yeah Witten caught 8 touchdowns but his 61 receptions were a vast drop in numbers which could be a sign he is aging.  Meanwhile Gronkowski was very good in the month that he played but he missed 3/4's of the season with more injuries. 

K (1)

Garrett Harley:  You would think investing in a kicker in one of the best offenses in the NFL would be profitable but Hartley destroyed that notion by getting cut last week.

DEF (1)

Dallas Cowboys:  With so many big games on this unit, they were historically bad.  Nothing good to say at all about this awful group.

There you have it.  Let us hear your thoughts below.

FANTASY FOOTBAL LWEEK 16 TIGHT END RANKINGS

Here are the fantasy football Week 16 tight end rankings based on opposing matchups.

1.  Jimmy Graham
2.  Julius Thomas
3.  Jason Witten
4.  Delanie Walker
5.  Vernon Davis
6.  Charles Clay
7.  Greg Olsen
8.  Tony Gonzalez
9.  Martellus Bennett
10. Heath Miller
11. Zach Miller
12. Antonio Gates
13. Coby Fleener
14. Ryan Griffin
15. Tim Wright
16. Andrew Quarless
17. Zach Ertz
18. Scott Chandler
19. Tyler Eifert
20. Jared Cook
21. Marecedes Lewis
22. Brandon Myers
23. Brandon Pettigrew

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 16 WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS

Here are the fantasy football Week 16 wide receiver rankings based on opposing matchups.

1.  Calvin Johnson
2.  Josh Gordon
3.  A.J. Green
4.  Dez Bryant
5.  Brandon Marshall
6.  Alshon Jeffery
7.  Demaryuis Thomas
8.  Antonio Brown
9.  Julian Edelman
10. Keenan Allen
11. Pierre Garcon
12. Jordy Nelson
13. DeSean Jackson
14. Andre Johnson
15. Eric Decker
16. Torrey Smith
17. Danny Amendola
18. Mike Wallace
19. Michael Crabtree
20. Roddy White
21. Marques Colston
22. Rod Streator
23. Larry Fitzgerald
24. Vincent Jackson
25. Steve Smith
26. T.Y. Hilton
27. Anquan Boldin
28. Riley Cooper
29. Dwayne Bowe
30. James Jones
31. Reuben Randle
32. Brian Hartline
33. Hakeem Nicks
34. Harry Douglas
35. Emmanuel Sanders
36. Doug Baldwin
37. Jarrett Boykin
38. Greg Jennings
39. Golden Tate
40. Cordarelle Patterson

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 16 RUNNING BACK RANKINGS

Here are the fantasy football Week 16 running back rankings based on opposing matchups.

1.  Jamaal Charles
2.  LeSean McCoy
3.  Matt Forte
4.  DeMarco Murray
5.  Marshawn Lynch
6.  Eddie Lacy
7.  Rashad Jennings
8.  Zac Stacy
9.  Alfred Morris
10. Adrian Peterson
11. Frank Gore
12. Ryan Matthews
13. Knowshon Moreno
14. Le'Veon Bell
15. Reggie Bush
16. Jordan Todman
17. Shane Vereen
18. Giovani Bernard
19. Chris Johnson
20. Ray Rice
21. Bobby Rainey
22. DeAngelo Williams
23. C.J. Spiller
24. Fred Jackson
25. Dennis Johnson
26. Steven Jackson
27. Montee Ball
28. Danny Woodhead
29. Andre Brown
30. Chris Ivory
31. Pierre Thomas
32. BenJarvus Green-Ellis
33. Andre Ellington
34. Lamar Miller
35. Donald Brown
36. Rashard Mendenhall
37. Trent Richardson
38. Daniel Thomas
39. Joquie Bell
40. Stevan Ridley

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 16 QB RANKINGS

Here are the fantasy football Week 16 QB rankings based on opposing matchups.

1.  Peyton Manning
2.  Jay Cutler
3.  Nick Foles
4.  Drew Brees
5.  Philip Rivers
6.  Ben Roethlisberger
7.  Tony Romo
8.  Andy Dalton
9.  Russell Wilson
10. Matthew Stafford
11. Kirk Cousins
12. Andeew Luck
13. Joe Flacco
14. Colin Kaepernick
15. Tom Brady
16. Cam Newton
17. Jason Campbell
18. Alex Smith
19. Matt Flynn
20. Matt Cassel
21. Ryan Tannehill
22. Matt Schaub
23. Mike Glennon
24. Matt Ryan
25. Eli Manning
26. Carson Palmer
27. Matt McGloin
28. Ryan Fitzpatrick
29. Kellen Clemens

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 16 FRIDAY INJURY REPORT

     

The Super Bowl week is upon us in fantasy football 2013 and those who are still in the running for their league's championship should be sure to keep track of every bit of injury news.  With that in mind here is a quick rundown on the key players and their injury statuses for Week 16.

-Denver Broncos WR Wes Welker is done for the 2013 regular season due to the second concussion he suffered back in Week 13.  The team wants to rest Welker up for the playoffs and not risk yet another concussion since he clearly came back too soon from the first.  This is an issue that has to be looked at closely with Welker's fantasy football stock going forward into next season.

-Cleveland Browns breakout tight end Jordan Cameron is going to be ruled out for Week 16 with his own concussion problems.  Cameron has not practiced all week which includes missing Friday's session.  Delanie Walker or Zack Ertz would be replacement to look at.

-Indianapolis Colts WR T.Y. Hilton returned to practice on Friday from the shoulder injury that kept him out the previous sessions.  Pencil Hilton in for Week 16.

-Although he hasn't been officially ruled out yet, Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will not play Sunday.  Matt Flynn will once again get the start in Rodgers' place and is a decent QB 2 option.

-Dallas Cowboys rookie WR Terrance Williams is iffy for Sunday due to a balky hamstring but he is trying to return to practice on Friday.  Williams is not worth using in fantasy football terms due to his play going south since Miles Austin returned.

-New York Giants WR Victor Cruz is finished for 2013 as well due to the concussion he suffered to go along with a knee problem which required surgery.  It was a bit of an off year for Cruz this season as his fantasy football stock slipped from a WR 1 to a 2.

-Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald will start in Week 16 despite a concussion of his own last Sunday.  Fitzgerald looked very iffy after having trouble in the locker room after the game but he made a quick recover that got him to pass the NFL concussion protocols.

-Washington Redskins rookie tight end Jordan Reed was put on injured reserve with a concussion that he never recovered from back in Week 11.  Reed is a very intriguing sleeper for 2014 due to the fact he was playing great before he took the head shot.

-Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson could be headed for a game-time decision after missing practices late in the week.  Peterson missed last week's game with a foot injury.

-Jacksonville Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew is not going to play on Sunday as he missed all the team's practices once again with hamstring issues.

-New England Patriots WR Aaron Dobson is returning to the field this week after missing time with a foot injury.  He has clear WR 3 status with Rob Gronkowski out.  Get him in there.

As always be sure to keep track of all the latest news right here on the site.  Post your comments below.

2014 FANTASY FOOTBALL UPDATED RUNNING BACK RANKINGS

Been more than a month since we updated the fantasy football running back rankings.  Here is our last installment until the season is complete.

1.  Jamaal Charles:  Has completely fulfilled all my summer optimism.  In the running for overall fantasy football MVP.
2.  Matt Forte:  Owning the receiving game once again among running backs and running numbers excellent.  With no goal-line handcuff Forte has fully achieved his vast potential this season.
3.  LeSean McCoy:  A bit up and down the second half of the season but bottom line numbers terrific.
4.  Marshawn Lynch:  Continues to get better the older he gets.
5.  Adrian Peterson:  Injuries in December stunted what was looking like a monster finish.  Getting up there in age though.
6.  Eddie Lacy:  One of the better rookie seasons we have seen in awhile.  Monster power back who showed decent hands.
7. Zac Stacy:  Would have been in the rushing title picture if he had started in September and not October.
8.  Alfred Morris:  Started slowly but Morris was quietly as good as he was in his awesome rookie season.  Still can't catch a cold.
9.  Reggie Bush:  Has been a big time weapon both in the running and receiving game for the Lions but continues to be seemingly a game-time decision every week.
10. DeMarco Murray:  Led the NFL in yards per carry and catches a boatload of passes.  If Murray ever can play 16 games he would be with the top three guys in numbers.
11. Giovani Bernard:  You hear it here first.  Bernard will be a first round pick in 2015.
12. Arian Foster:  Aging and injuries a major problem now.
13. Ray Rice:  Not aging like Foster but had awful 2013 amid worries his slight frame is giving out.
14. Ryan Matthews:  Was terrific from the middle of October on.  You know after he got past his annual injuries.
15. Doug Martin:  Was pretty awful and was headed for bust season before he got hurt.  Needs to prove himself again.
16. Frank Gore:  Doesn't catch passes anymore but still running well.  Age means a Steven Jackson dropoff could come quickly.
17. Knowshon Moreno:  Scored a bunch of touchdowns in the high-powered Denver offense but Montee Ball was taking over a lot of his workload as the season went on.
18. Montee Ball:  Is looking like a big time runner and even showed he can catch the football some. 
19. Rashad Jennings:  See you later Darren McFadden.  This is now Jennings' show in Oakland.
20. C.J. Spiller:  Can't ever stay healthy.  Talent is immense but doesn't have any kind of consistency.
21. Andre Brown:  Played very well when on the field in 2013 but has to stop with the leg injuries.
22. Shane Vereen:  Those in PPR formats need to be all over this receptions machine.
23. Le'Veon Bell:  Very good receiver but the running has to get a bit better.
24. Pierre Thomas:  I bet you didn't know that Thomas caught a ton of passes this season.  Works well in the Saints' offense in that respect.
25. Darren Sproles:  See above.
26. Danny Woodhead:  Another sizable PPR weapon.
27. Stevan Ridley:  The guy can run but fumbling had him nailed to the bench.  Could use  a trade.
28. Steven Jackson:  I won't touch him anymore.  Way too old and numbers are slipping quick.
29. Maurice Jones-Drew:  Completely washed up.
30. Chris Johnson:  Going to get cut and deserves it after awful season.
31. Donald Brown:  Could now be the featured back in Indy after Trent Richardson had one of the biggest bust seasons in years.
32. Chris Ivory:  Always a ton of volatility with Ivory due to his injuries.
33. Fred Jackson:  Still running well but the Bills want Spiller to be the guy.
34. Lamar Miller:  Wasted season as he never broke out like we thought he could.
35. Rashard Mendenhall:  Useless and aging. 

There you have it.  Let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL MONDAY WRAPUP: RAVENS/LIONS

   

Monday night's game between the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens brought to a close fantasy football Week 15 which means its on to the Super Bowl week for those still alive in their league.  Let's get to all the storylines coming out of the game.

-As a Matthew Stafford owner, I am thankful I was blown out to the point I didn't have to rely on him for a late game comeback in my semifinal loss last night.  Stafford was brutal as he threw three more interceptions and only 1 touchdown among his 235 yards.  The Lions QB has been a turnover machine and has played his worst when his fantasy football owners needed him the most.  Having the strongest arm in the league can be a curse sometimes and Stafford clearly at times has channeled his inner Brett Favre with all the picks.  He does remain a top 6 or 7 fantasy football QB for next season though and his rough finish to the season will likely put him in value mode with Tony Romo and Matt Ryan.  Meanwhile Joe Flacco was his ordinary self with no touchdowns or interceptions among his 222 yards.  Flacco has failed to build on his Super Bowl win to be more than his usual QB 2.

-Ray Rice has had a completely ugly season to forget which continued last night.  The former top two pick overall has had only a game or two where he looked like his old dominant self.  You can only blame the leaky offensive line of the Ravens so much before you realize that Rice has lost a step.  A full season of mediocre play completes that line of thinking and remember having such a smallish frame has historically shortened careers in the past.  Rice no longer can be considered a RB 1 and with his poor play this season, Bernard Pierce is likely to get even more work for 2014.

-Jacoby Jones has been a nice late season add, especially in leagues that count return yardage and touchdowns.  Jones led the Ravens in receiving last night with 6 catches for 80 yards.  Meanwhile Torrey Smith managed only 4 catches for 69 yards.  Very disappointing Smith didn't do better in a dome game.  Finally, Dennis Pitta caught only 2 balls for 24 yards but I am already telling you I will be slobbering all over his name before next season as a prime sleeper.

-On the other side of the ball, Calvin Johnson caught 6 balls for 98 yards but he failed to get into the end zone.  If you played against a Megatron owner, this is about as good a result as you could ask for.  Johnson has seen his scores dry up in the second half as Stafford has played is worst football. 

-As far as the Detroit running game is concerned, Reggie Bush returned from his calf injury to rush for 86 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown.  He also chipped in 2 catches for 15 yards.  Ask any Bush owner and they will say they were disappointed in his production.  However Bush is fourth in the NFL in total yards from scrimmage per game this season so he has been very solid. 

-Hope you had Justin Tucker as your kicker.  Kicked 6 field goals including his ridiculous 61-yarder to win.  Queue up the Mike Tirico call.  Was a terrific listen.

There you have it.  One more week to go and than it is full fantasy baseball mode. 

FANTASY FOOTBALL MONDAY WRAPUP: COWBOYS/BEARS

   

Josh McCown anyone?  Holy crap.  Anyone who went with McCown this week no doubt was a winner as the Chicago Bears backup was ridiculous Monday night in throwing for 348 yards and 4 touchdowns.  McCown didn't stop here however as he added a FIFTH score on the ground and threw for a successful two-point conversion.  Needless to say the Bears and even fantasy football owners of McCown have to roll with him again next week.  Jay Cutler we hardly knew ya'.  With Cutler set to become a free agent, the Bears actually could have a decision on their hands here.

As far as the rest of the action in fantasy football Monday night, McCown's great chemistry with Alshon Jeffrey was on full display once again.  Jeffrey made another hard to fathom TD grab among his 5 catches for 84 yards.  When Cutler was the QB, he looked to Brandon Marshall first almost every time he went back to throw.  McCown seems to be going the opposite way which is much to the benefit of Jeffrey's fantasy football owners.  Marshall was no slouch himself Monday however as he caught 6 balls for 100 yards.  As a Marshall owner, I wish Jeffrey wasn't stealing away so many grabs but so be it.

-Matt Forte kept his huge 2013 season going in rushing for 102 yards on 20 carries while also catching 7 balls for 73 yards and a touchdown.  All season it has been Forte, with Jamaal Charles, and LeSean McCoy as the very beast running backs in fantasy football.  Those three figure to be the top three picks in drafts next season.

-As far as Dallas was concerned, Tony Romo did the best he could in falling behind so early by throwing for 3 big touchdowns but only 104 yards total.  We'll take it. 

-Yeah the guy is always hurt but one can't argue with the very good play of DeMarco Murray when he is in the lineup.  Murray is leading the NFL in yards per carry which he padded by picking up 146 yards on only 18 carries.  If we could ever get 16 games out of Murray, I do feel he could be in the realm of Charles, Forte, and McCoy.  Really. 

-Finally the 104 passing yards by Romo showed up negatively in the Cowboys receivers.  Dez Bryant caught one of the TD passes but overall had only 2 catches for 12 yards.  Not good.  In addition Jason Witten himself had a TD catch but that was his only catch for 10 yards.  Big negative all the way around there.

Hope the playoffs are going well for all of you.  Post your results below.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 14 THURSDAY WRAPUP: TEXANS/JAGUARS

  

Not many were watching such a dud of a game but fantasy football owners of Andre Johnson got a nice leg up on their matchup this week.  Let's take a look at the fantasy football news that came out of the game.

-Speaking of Johnson, he was the clear star of the game as he caught 13 passes for 154 yards.  The Jaguars had no answer for Johnson who now has 95 catches for 1,277 yards and five touchdowns.  Once again it is likely Johnson will fail to reach double-digit receiving touchdowns which is something he has never done despite all of his catches.  Be that as it may Johnson remains a sure fire number 1 fantasy football wideout who is showing no signs of slowing down.

-As far as the QB's were concerned, no one in their right mind still playing has Chad Henne so let's move right into the Houston situation.  Once again Case Keenum was pulled, the second time in three weeks in favor of Matt Schaub.  Keenum was actually not terrible as he threw a touchdown pass and completed 16-of-29.  However he threw an ugly pick and held onto the football too long.  Enter Schaub who immediately threw a touchdown but also was picked off himself late in the fourth quarter as Houston was driving to tie or go ahead.  Nothing positive to say here.

-The Ben Tate 3-TD bonanza from Week 13 didn't carry over to Thursday night as he rushed for only 53 yards on 14 carries.  Meanwhile Maurice Jones-Drew has his best game of the season as he went over 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.  Jones-Drew wound up rushing for 103 yards on 14 carries while also catching 2 balls for 20 more yards.  Unfortunately his day ended a bit early as Jones-Drew suffered a hamstring injury that finished him in the fourth quarter. 

-Garrett Graham has really been a shot in the arm for those fantasy football owners who took a shot on him when Owen Daniels went out for the season.  Graham could be earning himself a bigger role with Houston or elsewhere next season as he grabbed 8 balls for 73 yards and a score.  In fact the tight ends were productive on both sides as Marcedes Lewis caught a touchdown of his own but overall had only two catches.  Lewis has been nothing but a bench guy at best in fantasy football terms since he entered the league.

-It was back to up one week/down the next week for Cecil Shorts as he grabbed only 2 passes for 13 yards.  Luckily for Shorts' owners, one of those went for a score which saved the day from being a total disaster.  Still Shorts has been very inconsistent the second half of the season after being very solid the first half.

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

2013 FANTASY FOOTBALL UPDATED QB RANKINGS

With Week 14 beckoning, now is a great time to take a closer look at the latest set of fantasy football QB rankings. 

1.  Peyton Manning:  Has not slowed down one bit as he comes off a 5-TD game in Week 13.  Amazing stuff.
2.  Drew Brees:  Dud against Seattle the only blip on another excellent season.
3.  Tony Romo:  Time to full appreciate the great QB Tony Romo is and has been for awhile.  At least in fantasy football terms.
4.  Matthew Stafford:  If he could just curb the INT's a bit Stafford would challenge Brees and Romo.
5.  Russell Wilson:  Yeah he doesn't throw for 300 yards often but Wilson continues to throw touchdowns and use his legs to great effect.
6.  Aaron Rodgers:  This is a small hit due to Rodgers being injured but by next season he will return to the top three as usual.
7.  Nick Foles:  Still waiting for his first INT after 19 touchdown passes.  One away from tying the Peyton Manning record.  Eagles have their QB for the next five years at least.
8.  Tom Brady:  Typically got hot when Gronk and friends returned from being hurt. 
9.  Ben Roethlisberger:  Never been a fan but I can't argue with his extreme passing numbers since Week 9.
10. Cam Newton:  A bit up and down still but Newton clicking in both the passing and running game down the stretch once again.
11. Matt Ryan:  Had his season sabotaged by injuries to his receivers but Roddy White's health could portend to big finish.  Late dip will have his 2014 draft price very attractive.  I am buying.
12. Philip Rivers:  Has had a small comeback season but still not back to where he was from 2008-2010.
13. Jay Cutler:  Just has to stay healthy to enjoy the benefits of the best receiving corps in football.
14. Andrew Luck:  Major step back for Luck in 2013 as my prediction he could be a first round pick in 2014 looks way off.  Still has massive potential however. 
15. Mike Glennon:  Really like this kid.  Has shown no hesitation to throw it downfield and could be and is already close when talking about being an every week guy.
16. Andy Dalton:  Throws for a very good clip of touchdowns but the interceptions come along for the ride too which limits his ceiling.
17. Colin Kaepernick:  Told you all to give it another season before you invested heavily and that assessment looks smart.  Has looked nothing like the force he was the second half of last season.
18. Eli Manning:  Willing to give Manning another look as a backup next season but that's it due to massive turnover penchant.
19. Alex Smith:  Once again Smith is solid but unspectacular. 
20. Robert Griffin III:  This might seem like a harsh ranking but other than collecting scores in garbage time, Griffin has been brutal.
21. Matt Schaub:  Will find a starting spot somewhere but career is going in wrong direction.
22. Carson Palmer:  Like a Dalton clone with his combination of touchdowns and turnovers.  Makes for a great QB 2 however.
23. Ryan Fitzpatrick:  Here is predicting Fitzpatrick is the starting in Week 1 next season for Tennessee as he has looked very solid since replacing Jake Locker.  Another very good QB 2 option.
24. Ryan Tannehill:  Still haven't seen nearly enough production to rely on as anything more than a QB 2.
25. Joe Flacco:  Tough spot to place a former Super Bowl MVP but every season Flacco is the definition of being fantasy football mediocre.
26. E.J. Manuel:  Potential is there but give it more time.
27. Matt McGloin:  Has the inside track to the starting job next season based on solid work since going under center.

There you have it.  As always let us know what you think.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 14 ADDS/DROPS

Week 14 starts the playoff weeks for some fantasy football leagues.  With all the fantasy baseball Hot Stove news, we had to push back this feature one day but with that said let's take a look at who makes the cut this week.  This late in the season as well, there is not much to discuss when it comes to drops so we will stay with just the adds.

WEEK 14 ADDS

Jay Cutler:  Although he hasn't been cleared yet to return, the general feeling is that Cutler will be cleared to start Week 14.  Having the best set of receivers in football in the form of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey alone makes Cutler a major add if anyone foolishly dropped him weeks ago,  Sure the interception threat is big but Cutler is setup for a nice finish to the season given his weaponry.

Julian Edleman:  It is likely Edelman was dropped in your league starting a few weeks ago when Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski returned.  It was assumed, and we went right along with it, that Edelman would be marginalized with their return but instead he has become a huge PPR weapon over Amendola the last two weeks. 

Andre Holmes:  Sure the chances of Holmes being a one-week wonder are real but the way he was able to get down the field for big plays on Thanksgiving was interesting.  Matt McGloin has shown no hesitancy to throw the football long so these two could put up another nice outing this weekend.

Ace Sanders:  Sanders has come on of late in place of Justin Blackmon by catching 8 balls and a touchdown last weekend.  The Jaguars have thrown the football a bunch this season and as bad as they are, they have provided fantasy football owners of their wideouts some nice production.

Ladarius Green:  Green played 91 percent of the snaps with the San Diego Chargers last week and he now clearly is being pushed onto the field as the team has now gone to a two-tight end set like we had seen in the past from New England before Aaron Hernandez lost his mind.  Green caught only two balls last week but one went for a score and his athletic ability reminds me of a young Antonio Gates.

Zach Ertz:  Ertz was a highly touted tight end in last season's draft but he struggled to find consistency until the middle of the year.  Catching two touchdown passes in Week 13 showed how far Ertz has come however and so those in need of tight end help should look here after checking out Green.

Oakland Raiders Defense:  The Raiders draw the New York Jets and rookie QB Geno Smith so that is fantasy football gold right there.  I recommended the Miami Dolphins defense in this spot last week and they responded with a monster effort. 

FANTASY FOOTBALL WRAPUP: MONDAY SAINTS/SEAHAWKS

   

The Seattle Seahawks certainly showed the NFL that they will be almost impossible to beat at home once the playoffs arrive.  Russell Wilson showed us all that he is one of the very best quarterbacks' in the NFL no questions asked.  With that said let's take a look at the news and notes from the notes from the angle of fantasy football.

-Speaking of Wilson, he was completely in charge Monday night by throwing for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns while also rushing 47 on the ground.  Wilson now has 22 touchdowns and only 6 INT's this season and is now one to clearly be feared in the fantasy football playoffs if you happen to draw him as an opponent. 

Meanwhile Drew Brees had no answers for the rough Seattle defense as he threw for a season-low 147 yards with 1 TD and 1 lost fumble returned for a score.  Let this be a warning for anyone fantasy football QB who will be going against the locked in Seattle defense the next three weeks.  It is not likely to be pretty.

-If you started any Saints running back than shame on you.  You should have known better.  Mark Ingram led the way with all of 22 yards on 8 carries while Pierre Thomas went bust with ZERO yards on 4 carries.  Darren Sproles returned and did his usual PPR bit (7 catches for 32 yards) but there was pretty much nothing to talk about here.

On the other side it was a struggle for Marshawn Lynch who gained only 45 yards on 16 carries while failing to score.  New Orleans has played good run defense this season so this is not a total shock but again the timing is not good for those who were looking to clinch a playoff spot.

-With regards to the passing games, Jimmy Graham was the only bright spot for New Orleans as he scored once on his three receptions for 42 yards.  Graham is like Rob Gronkowski in that he always seems to find the end zone at least once a week.  I survived a Graham encounter by winning my playoff-clinching game against his owner this past weekend and now have a rematch on tap in the wild card round.  Nervous.

-Zach Miller (5 catches for 86 yards) and Doug Baldwin (4 catches for 77 yards) each hauled in a scoring pass from Wilson.  Also Golden Tate grabbed 4 balls for 45 yards but he remains an enigma.

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

2013 FANTASY FOOTBALL UPDATED WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS

Some new names are near the top of the 2014 fantasy football wide receiver rankings as it has been too long since we updated this group. 

1.  Calvin Johnson:  Still the best and it is not even close.
2.  A.J. Green:  Has been a bit up and down at times but still the closest pursuer to Calvin Johnson.
3.  Dez Bryant:  Monster performer more than living up to his 2012 breakout.
4.  Demaryuis Thomas:  Big time yardage and TD guy who loses just a bit in the receptions category due to presence of so many other Denver weapons.
5.  Julio Jones:  Could have finished as high as number 2 here if he didn't get hurt.  Unfortunately career filled with injuries continued.
6.  Josh Gordon:  Amazing season for the second year man who just got done setting record for back-to-back 200-yards games.
7.  Wes Welker:  Likely will go down as the best slot receiver ever.
8.  Brandon Marshall:  Even tough is seems like teammate Alshon Jeffrey is having the better season, Marshall has eight more catches and four more touchdowns as of this typing.
9.  Andre Johnson:  Will never threaten the TD lead but only three catches from NFL lead through 13 weeks.
10. Antonio Brown:  Terrific PPR guy who has led the NFL in receptions almost all season. 
11. Alshon Jeffrey:  What an athletically gifted receiver this guy is.  Has two 200-plus yard games this season.
12. Jordy Nelson:  Another guy whose best values comes in standard TD-heavy formats.  Has still yet to catch 80 passes in a season, although he was on pace to do so just barely.
13. Vincent Jackson:  Has some incredibly dominant games but also two many busted ones.  Wildly inconsistent. 
14. Torrey Smith:  Another yardage and TD guy who doesn't light it up in the catches department.
15. Larry Fitzgerald:  Back to catching touchdowns with Carson Palmer in town but starting to age a bit.
16. Pierre Garcon:  Catching a ton of balls but not many of them for scores.
17. Kendall Wright:  Here is betting this guy continues to rise up the rankings.
18. Victor Cruz:  Truth be told Cruz has taken a step back this season as numbers down across the board.
19. Eric Decker:  Third fiddle in the Denver passing hierarchy but four-TD game in Week 13 shows how good he can be.
20. Keenan Allen: Instant rapport with Philip Rivers and has been best rookie receiver by a mile.
21. DeSean Jackson:  Never a fan of his in fantasy football as he doesn't catch enough passes and is too dependent on touchdowns.
22. Michael Floyd:  Sky is the limit.  Will be ranked much higher before too long.  Looks like future WR 1. 
23. Steve Smith:  Numbers have been slipping little by little as he approaches mid-30's.
24. Harry Douglas:  Liked what saw in a full-time role.  Could spell the end of Roddy White in Atlanta. 
25. Marques Colston:  Starting to show signs of erosion and has had a long history of injury.  No longer a WR 1.
26. Cecil Shorts:  Catches a bunch of balls in a bad offense.  Can only get better from here if Jags improve under center. 
27. T.Y. Hilton:  Is a big play waiting to happen.  With Reggie Wayne likely done in Indy, stage is his. 
28. Anquan Boldin:  Has been up and down this season but is as tough as anyone in the league. 
29. Roddy White:  Truly horrific season for White who is a shell of his former PPR stud self.  Could rebound but age is saying not likely. 
30. Reggie Wayne:  Like with White, clearly on the way down which is boosted by injuries. 
31. Danny Amendola:  When on the field he is a PPR gem but only can manage to make half of his starts. 
32. Emmanuel Sanders:  Has done well as the second receiver with Pittsburgh but not much more than WR 3 right now. 
33. Hakeem Nicks:  Has taken nosedive from 2011.  No clue where this headed. 
34. Julian Edelman:  Has played the Danny Amendola role better than Amendola himself this season.  Has earned a nice deal somewhere. 
35. Michael Crabtree:  On talent alone will be higher on this list for sure if he can stay healthy. 
36. Brian Hartline:  Once again is a decent PPR guy but Ryan Tannehill needs to take step up to make him more valuable. 
37. James Jones:  Great standard format guy since he always finds the end zone but drastic reduction in value in PPR setup.
38. Mike Wallace:  Grossly overpaid and offense not allowing him to be better than he could be.
39. Dwayne Bowe:  Another guy who has dropped down quickly in the rankings the last two seasons with listless play. 
40. Greg Jennings:  Wished he could go back to Green Bay.
41. Golden Tate:  Has had his nice games but Tate has to do put more of them together.
42. Brandon LaFell:  Ehhh.  Just all right.
43. DeAndre Hopkins:  Potential here as Hopkins reminds me of Alshon Jeffrey some.
44. Stevie Johnson:  Has managed to have some nice season with terrible QB's since 2010.
45. Nate Washington:  Getting pushed to second tier with Kendall Wright's development.
46. Denarius Moore:  Lost in the mess that is Oakland.  Has big-play ability. 
47. Riley Cooper:  Another James Jones clone due to TD-heavy ability. 
48. Aaron Dobson:  Could be a huge weapon in the New England offense next season.  Showing signs of being major player. 
49. Jarrett Boykin:  Surprised us with how instantly impactful he was.  Will get longer look from the start next season. 
50. Cordarelle Patterson:  Ability not in question but just his mind. 
51. Reuben Randle:  Likely to replace Nicks in Giants potent passing attack.
52. Marlon Brown:  Tough for us to recommend any Baltimore Ravens receiver but Brown might be able to hold a spot as a WR 3 for your squad.. 
53. Justin Blackmon:  Has to get himself right off-the-field for him to unleash his great ability. 
54. Cole Beasley:  Looks like another decent PPR weapon who still is developing. 

There you have it.  Let us know what you think.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 INJURY REPORT: ONCE AGAIN CONCUSSIONS DOMINATE

Week 13 has almost completely come and gone and as always there are more than a few injury questions to take a look at.  Let's get right to it.

-New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski came off the field in the second half of the team's victory over the Houston Texans with a noticeable limp.  Gronkowski soon returned to the field however and seemed no worse for wear. 

-Cleveland Browns QB Brandon Weeden suffered a concussion Sunday in one of his better all-around games of the season in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.  As always Weeden will have to pass the NFL concussion protocol which is always tricky.  I actually am wondering why I am even typing words about Weeden since really no one cares.  Moving on.

-Minnesota Vikings QB Christian Ponder suffered his own concussion Sunday which led to Matt Cassel leading the team to an OT victory.  Neither Ponder or Cassel is fantasy football-worthy to say the least.

-Buffalo Bills RB C.J. Spiller injured his ankle again in the first half of his monster game against the Atlanta Falcons.  This is an ongoing problem for Spiller as he has dealt with such issues all season.  Spiller finished the game strong though so there doesn't seem to be any long-term deals with this.

-New England Patriots wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins injured a hip and only played one more snap Sunday.  Thompkins was a nice story early on in the season but he is barely involved in the offense.

-There was fears that Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon suffered a concussion Sunday but he passed the sideline testing and finished up his record-breaking day with no more problems. 

-Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed screwed his owners big time by being a late scratch with a pre-game headache.  Apparently Reed has not fully recovered from the concussion he suffered two weeks ago so his owners who are still playing need to find a backup.  Check out Ladarius Webb.

-Another game missed by Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas with the knee after it looked like earlier in the week he would be a go.  Ride Jacob Tamme until a change is made.

-Aaron Rodgers may not return this season due to the team not being in playoff contention and the fears of exposing him to unnecessary hits with nothing to play for.  Tough blow for all Rodgers owners who likely were done when he first broke the bone in his shoulder.  Rodgers should remain a top two fantasy football QB for next season tough.

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 WRAPUP: 4:00 GAMES AND LATER

                                                               

Eric Decker anyone?  Yup I own him and needless to say it was a very nice day in fantasy football for yours truly.  Decker was the clear highlight of the 4:00 games and later so let's take a look at all the latest news and notes coming out of those contests.

-Really there is no other place to start than what Decker was able to accomplish with the help of Peyton Manning Sunday in torching the Kansas City secondary.  The Chiefs had no answers against Decker going deep and Manning made sure to exploit this all game.  Overall Decker caught 8 balls for 174 yards and an insane 4 touchdowns.  If there is a Decker owner out there who lost Sunday please explain how that is possible.  As far as Decker is concerned, you know I have rightfully complained about his lack of production lately.  Demaryuis Thomas and Wes Welker were clearly above Decker along with even Julius Thomas when he was healthy with regards to Manning's hierarchy of throwing options.  Decker has proven himself to be a big time TD guy going back to last season though and here is hoping this is not a one-game deal.  It could be though.

-Believe me we are not forgetting about Manning who threw for five touchdowns and 403 yards.  What ankle injury?  I swear this guy is a robot.  The Manning owner in the Experts League finished the regular season with a 12-1 mark and the number 1 seed.  It is likely that Manning will be on the majority of winning fantasy football teams this season which is something I said right after Week 1. 

-Knowshon Moreno didn't have it Sunday as he rushed for only 18 yards on 15 carries (although he chipped in a receiving touchdown).  Moreno was surely hampered by the bone bruise in his leg but gutted through it.  Montee Ball saved the day for the Denver running game by going off for 117 yards on 13 carries.  Ball has big time ability but Moreno will be back next season again which means another time-share at best.

-Colin Kaepernick threw for only 1 TD among his 275 yards but he now has old friend Michael Crabtree back which will thrust him back into a QB 1.  Crabtree caught 2 balls for 68 yards as he played about half the snaps but he once again showed his big play ability.  Get him back in there.  Meanwhile Anquan Boldin, perhaps sensing the arrival of Crabtree could impact his looks from Kaepernick, caught 9 balls for 98 yards. 

-Zac Stacy did as good as one could expect against the surging 49ers defense as he rushed for 72 yards on 19 carries while catching 1 ball for -1 yards.  The concussion is a thing of the past.  Start him with confidence.

-Matt Ryan re-discovered his love for Roddy White as the two hooked up 10 times for 143 yards.  Thataboy Roddy.  Where he hell was that all season when your owners were actually in contention?  Ryan threw for only one score which went to Tony Gonzalez (4 catches for 42 yards).  Also White's big game didn't come at the expense of Harry Douglas who grabbed 6 balls for 73 yards. 

-Speaking of late surges, Steven Jackson has found his groove the last two games, with Sunday showing him run for 84 yards on 23 carries and 2 touchdowns.  Jackson will be threat to score but is rushing numbers are likely going to continue to take a hit as he ages.  There is a whole lot of mileage on these tires and so Jackson can't be trusted as anything more than a low end RB 2.

-C.J. Spiller rushed for 149 yards on 15 carries while scoring a touchdown.  Yeah the classic to little too late.  What Spiller is doing now is putting up big games in garbage time so that fantasy football owners will be seduced next season into thinking THIS will be the monster year.  Fat chance.  Guy has horrible work habits according to reports, is always hurt, and still has a very capable Fred Jackson around.

-As an owner of an inactive Julius Thomas and a gimpy Antonio Gates, I rolled the dice and went with Ladarius Webb.  Well Webb caught only two balls for 45 yards but one went for a touchdown.  Don't you love those days when all the moves you make go right for a change?  Webb reminds me so much of Thomas but as long as Gates is healthy than he can't achieve optimum value.

-Both Andy Dalton and Philip Rivers threw for a score and a TD.  Both guys make you want to rip your hair out with their inconsistency.

-I tell you what.  One guy I am going hard after next season is Giovani Bernard.  Hopefully the continued presence of BenJarvus Green-Ellis has kept Bernard's 2014 draft price down enough as the former North Carolina Tar Heel has immense ceiling.  I really think Bernard can be the next LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles kind of do-everything monster runner.  Bernard rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries Sunday while also catching 1 ball for 9 yards Sunday which doesn't scream out STAR but believe me the kid is special.

-A.J. Green has annoyed me at times with his up and down numbers and I wasn't blown away by his 5-catch day for 83 yards.  However he did score which helps make the mood brighter.

-Keenan Allen has simply been amazing as the best rookie receiver in football.  Allen caught 8 more balls Sunday for 106 yards.  Rivers looks in his direction before anyone else almost every time he goes back to pass and the results have been terrific.

-Andre Brown made the most of his 35 yards by scoring twice.  His running has been a bit up and down but Tom Coughlin has used Brown as his clear top runner and the results have been RB 2-ish in fantasy football terms.

-Victor Cruz finally figured out the season wasn't over as he caught 6 balls for 80 yards.  Cruz has been maddening lately with his up and down numbers and he surely hasn't been helped by the truly awful year being put up by Hakeem Nicks. 

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 WRAPUP: 1:00 GAMES

       

Huge day in fantasy football on a number of fronts, especially among the receivers.  Let's get right to the latest news coming out of the 1:00 games.

-There are just no words now to describe how ridiculous Cleveland Browns WR Josh Gordon has been the last two weeks and the season as a whole.  Gordon made history in Week 13 by becoming the first receiver to go over 200 yards two straight weeks.  Following up last week's 14-catch/237 yards/1 TD abomination of the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, Gordon actually IMPROVED on those numbers by catching 10 passes for 261 yards and 2 more scores Sunday.  Again I reiterate that Gordon accomplished this with quite possibly the worst starting QB in the NFL in Brandon Weeden primarily under center.  There was a ton of interest in Gordon leading up to the trade deadline but many teams (such as Seattle and Baltimore) didn't want to give up a first round pick.  These teams are likely regretting that decision.  Gordon's fantasy football owners are surely not regretting drafting him....and cheaply I might add.  In fact you can easily say Gordon has been the number 1 value in all of fantasy football this season. 

-Ace Sanders has come on to be a late season WR 3 and he established that further against the Browns by catching 8 balls for 67 yards.  Meanwhile Cecil Shorts caught 6 balls for 64 yards and a touchdown as he has put his Week 10-11 struggles behind him.

-Lost in the domination by Josh Gordon is the quieting of Jordan Cameron who caught only 4 balls for 43 yards.  Truth be told Cameron has not been much of a factor since around Week 8.

-Ouch for those who got aboard the Ryan Fitzpatrick train as a QB 2 this week.  Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions with only one TD as he reminded folks why the Bills ran him out of town.  I still like Fitzpatrick as a lower end QB 2 but the road figures to continue to be rocky.

-Donald Brown got the start for the Indianapolis Colts and did abyll right in rushing for 54 yards on 14 carries.  Brown did score however which made his day an overall positive.  The Colts can't run the football no matter who is in there but this reinforces what a joke Trent Richardson is as he got only 5 carries for 19 yards.

-Another listless performance by Andrew Luck as he failed to throw a touchdown among his 200 yards.  He did throw a pick however.  I am as shocked as anyone that Luck has not taken off this season and honestly he has taken a firm step back.  You can only blame offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton so much.  The blame has to fall on Luck as well who has not looked anywhere near what he did last season since losing Reggie Wayne.  Time to adjust kid.

-Even though Fitzpatrick turned the ball over a ton, he did make a nice day for Nate Washington (5 catches for 81 yards) and Kendall Wright (6 catches for 77 yards) in PPR formats.  Overall now I think Wright is starting to look like a poor man's Antonio Brown.  Remember this for next season.

-If you didn't think we are squarely in the era of the passing attack than I present to you Chicago Bears WR Alshon Jeffrey.  Along with Josh Gordon as the newest star receivers in football, Jeffrey broke the team's receiving yardage record in a game for the SECOND time this season by catching 12 passes for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns.  One of the scoring grabs was an absolute gem that brought back memories of Randy Moss and his acrobatic touchdown catches.  Jeffrey's big game continues the trend since Josh McCown took over under center of alternative monster outings by the already mentioned and Brandon Marshall.  Marshall went bust with 4 catches for 45 yards.  Note to McCown:  you can spread it around a bit.

-Matt Forte is showing he is not worn down from all the extra work he has received this season as he rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries while catching 2 balls for 31 more yards. 

-Adrian Peterson has reprised his ridiculous second half of last season as he rushed for 211 yards on 35 carries against the Bears.  This just a week after Peterson ran for 146 yards on 32 carries.  The workload is extreme but Peterson is long past the point of proving himself as being able to handle such a load. 

-Greg Jennings has been a borderline WR 3 this season but he turned back the clock to his Green Bay days Sunday by catching 7 balls for 78 yards and 1 TD.  While Jennings was made better than he really was with Aaron Rodgers as his passer, he is also better than what his numbers indicate with Minnesota due to the horrid play of Christian Ponder and company this season.

-Ryan Tannehill looked like Dan Marino against the New York Jets by throwing for 331 yards and 2 TD's with 1 INT Sunday.  Great game no doubt but it comes against a horrid Jets pass defense and Tannehill has not come close to reaching the point of being acceptable as an every week guy.

-Brian Hartline came out of the blue to catch 9 balls for 127 yards and a TD and Mike Wallace is making a late run to salvage his disappointing season by grabbing 7 balls for 82 yards and his own score.  Wallace in particular has been hot and it appears that he and Tannehill have finally figured out their connection.  Feel free to trust him now as a WR 3.

-Still waiting on that first Nick Foles interception.  It didn't come in his terrific outing against the Arizona Cardinals as Foles was locked in all game by throwing for 237 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Foles now has thrown 19 scores and no picks since becoming the starter.  Absolutely incredible.  The Eagles clearly have their QB of the present and future as do prospective fantasy football owners next season.

-Carson Palmer is a tremendous thrower of the football and has been very good the last month.  However his penchant for turnovers bit him again Sunday as he tossed two INT's and lost a fumble which somewhat overshadowed 302 yards and 3 passing scores. There is a bit of a Matthew Stafford-mode here as Palmer is a pure gunslinger like his Detroit counterpart who is also prone to turnovers.  I still would ride with Palmer is my QB 2 heading into the playoff weeks.  Too many weapons to not taken advantage of.

-Michael Floyd has really been something the last three weeks.  He posted his third straight monster game Sunday by catching 5 balls for 99 yards and a touchdown.  Floyd is moving very close to low end WR 1 territory and his rise this season has been a classic case of receiver development.  His growth has overshadowed Larry Fitzgerald but also helped the former.  Fitzgerald scored for the second week in a row in catching 5 passes for 72 yards.  The attention Floyd is getting is now finally giving Fitzgerald room to operate. 

-Step back for Mike Glennon Sunday but one can understand since he went against the dominant Carolina Panthers defense.  We haven't talked enough about hos great this Panthers D has been all season as the Chiefs took all the early pub but they have been the most consistently good unit all year.  Glennon had no chance in getting shut out in the touchdown department while also throwing an INT in a rough 180 yard day.  Meanwhile Cam Newton was a bit mistake-prone himself with two interceptions but he offset that with two passing scores to go with a third rushing tally. 

-Tom Brady kept his late-season roll going by throwing for 371 yards with 2 TD's and 1 INT Sunday against the Houston Texans.  I sound like a broken record but having Rob Gronkowski back (6 catches for 127 yards and 1 TD) make all the difference in his fantasy football outlook.  It is utterly amazing how Gronkowski gets into the end zone in every single game. 

-I pity those who benched Ben Tate and there surely were many after his lackluster recent outings.  Tate went nuts Sunday by rushing for 102 yards on 22 carries and scoring three touchdowns.  The decision to plant Tate on the bench likely doomed his owners for the season.

-We all thought Danny Amendola would dominate the receptions battle among New England wideouts but Julian Edelman has had other ideas.  Edleman has been insane the last two weeks as he caught 9 balls for 101 yards Sunday.  Just to show you how Edelman was being widely disgarded after Amedola came back, he is on waivers in the Experts League.

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 RUNNING BACK RANKINGS

Here are the fantasy football Week 13 running back rankings based on opposing matchups.

1.  Marshawn Lynch
2.  Adrian Peterson
3.  Jamaal Charles
4.  Matt Forte
5.  LeSean McCoy
6.  Eddie Lacy
7.  Andre Brown
8.  Frank Gore
9.  Rashad Jennings
10. Zac Stacy
11. Reggie Bush
12. Shane Vereen
13. DeMarco Murray
14. Alfred Morris
15. Chris Johnson
16. Giovani Bernard
17. C.J. Spiller
18. Knowshon Moreno
19. Pierre Thomas
20. Maurice Jones-Drew
21. Le'Veon Bell
22. Fred Jackson
23. Danny Woodhead
24. Donald Brown
25. Ray Rice
26. Montee Ball
27. Bobby Rainey
28. Steven Jackson
29. Ben Tate
30. Andre Ellington
31. Darren Sproles
32. Lamar Miller
33. Bilal Powell
34. Chris Ogbonnaya
35. Rashard Mendenhall
36. Trent Richardson
37. Stevan Ridley
38. DeAngelo Williams
39. Dennis Johnson
40. Benny Cunningham
41. Brandon Bolden

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 QB RANKINGS

Here are the fantasy football Week 13 QB rankings based on opposing matchups.

1.  Peyton Manning
2.  Tony Romo
3.  Drew Brees
4.  Cam Newton
5.  Matthew Stafford
6.  Tom Brady
7.  Russell Wilson
8.  Nick Foles
9.  Andy Dalton
10. Josh McCown
11. Philip Rivers
12. Carson Palmer
13. Colin Kaepernick
14. Matt Flynn
15. Eli Manning
16. Andrew Luck
17. Matt Ryan
18. Alex Smith
19. Robert Griffin III
20. Ben Roethlisberger
21. Mike Glennon
22. Joe Flacco
23. Case Keenum
24. Ryan Tannehill
25. Matt McGloin
26. E.J. Manuel
27. Brandon Weeden

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 RUNNING BACK HOT ZONE: ULTRA-RUNNING BACK COMMITTEE IN NEW ENGLAND

Week 13 kicks off tomorrow with three Thanksgiving Day games so let's get right to the Running Back Hot Zone where we check out all the latest news coming out the position.

LEVEL 4

Stevan Ridley-LeGarrette Blount-Brandon Bolden-Shane Vereen:  What a mess this whole situation now is in New England.  It had looked like things were settled going into Sunday night with Ridley as the main runner and Vereen the main receiver out of the backfield.  Well a lost fumble first by Ridley (in a season filled with them) and than one by Blount threw everything into chaos.  Enter Brandon Bolden who ran very well in relief of those two which included a touchdown.  Bolden is also a guy who can catch the football a la Vereen.  However the plan going into Week 13 is for the team to employ a super committee where Ridley, Bolden, and Blount will all get carries which in the process destroys the fantasy football value of all involved.  This doesn't include Vereen who will still be deployed more as a receiver which he has excelled at since returning to the lineup.  Vereen remains a very good RB 2 in PPR formats.  However Ridley has clearly taken a step backwards after playing very well in October and the start of November.  Leave Ridley, Blount, and Bolden all on the bench if you can.

Montee Ball-Knowshon Moreno:  Thank goodness the Denver Broncos are not playing on Thanksgiving if you are a Moreno owner as they guy would surely not be able to go due to the deep bone bruise he suffered in his left leg Sunday night.  Moreno claims he will be out there but moles inside the organization say it is doubtful.  Enter the rookie Ball who recently has been deployed as the goal-line runner with much success and also has started catching the football which is a nice bonus.  However Ball got benched Sunday night for losing a fumble which murked up the waters a bit.  Ball is clearly the most talented among all the Broncos backup runners so he should get the starting nod.  The former Wisconsin  back has shown good power since the start of the season and at the very least will be a threat to score form in-close.

Benny Cunningham-Zac Stacy:  As of this writing there has been no update on the concussion status of St. Louis Rams RB Zac Stacy.  Cunningham came in and was terrific in the second half of the team's win over the Chicago Bears last week in running for over 100 yards and a score and he naturally is the handcuff to own.  This one could go right down to the wire. 

LEVEL 3

Ronnie Brown-Ryan Matthews:  Matthews suffered a hamstring strain in Week 12 which is always worrisome for someone as injury-prone as he is.  The real shame is that Matthews was actually playing very well finally before this latest health woe and so Brown needs to be looked at as the appropriate handcuff.  Brown has not been much of a runner since his early days with the Miami Dolphins but he has good power and can catch the football.

Bilal Powell-Chris Ivory:  More injuries for Ivory who suffered an ankle injury last week just when he was putting together a string of impressive outings.  Re-enter Powell back into the equation who has run hot and cold since the start of the season.  In fact Powell going cold opened the door for Ivory to make the starting job his own.

LEVEL 2

Lamar Miller-Daniel Thomas:  Generally when a season-ending injury opens the door for a back to be the fulltime runner, this news would be at least in the Level 3 column.  However Miller has been so bad all season that I can't get too worked up over his opportunity.  The Miami Dolphins offensive line is about the worst in the NFL and that as well makes the ceiling on Miller very low to say the least.

Rashad Jennings-Darren McFadden:  McFadden is expected to return on Thanksgiving from his latest hamstring injury but Jennings has played so well in his place that he will be used as the primary ballcarrier.  This means McFadden should be sent to the waiver wire and is just the latest setback in a career filled with them so far.

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 ADDS/DROPS

For some leagues this is the last week of regular season games before the playoff weeks start.  So with that said here is the list of fantasy football Week 13 ADDS/DROPS for these crucial games.

WEEK 13 ADDS

Montee Ball:  Ball is expected to get the start if Knowshon Moreno can't make it back from the deep bone bruise in leg Sunday despite losing a fumble that earned him a seat on the bench Sunday night.  Ball has been the recent goal-line back for the Broncos and has done the job successfully.  In addition he has started to catch the football out of the backfield as well which adds another dimension to his game.

Brandon Bolden:  Stevan Ridley is likely back in the doghouse after losing yet another fumble Sunday night which opens the door for Bolden to take on more responsibility.  Bolden ran the football well in Ridley's place Sunday and scored a touchdown.  In addition Bolden is a more accomplished receiver than both Ridley and LeGarrette Blount who also lost a fumble Sunday night.  There is no guarantee Bolden gets the starting gig this week but it is worth the add to find out.

Jacob Tamme:  This is a hedge bet in case Julius Thomas can't come back this week from his knee injury.  The Broncos have said publicly they expect Thomas to return but nothing is ever guaranteed of course on the injury front.  Tamme went right back into hold habits as a trusted Peyton Manning outlet Sunday night in catching 5 balls which included one for a score. 

Miami Defense:  It is likely the Dolphins defense is lurking on your waiver wire and now would be the week to make the add since they play the New York Jets and turnover-prone QB Geno Smith tis week.  Smith has thrown for a grand total of 1 TD and 10 INT's in his last four games.  Yikes.

Michael Crabtree:  We were admittedly a little late on this but Crabtree is set to return form his torn ACL in Week 13.  Crabtree lit it up with QB Colin Kaepernick last season when the latter became the starter and there is no doubt the two will look to re-kindle that work going forward the rest of the season.

Lamar Miller:  I hate to even hint at recommending this gigantic bust but Daniel Thomas is out for the season with a torn ACL so the job is all to Miller's now.  That is what Miller's fantasy football owners were looking for all season but failed to get due to the refusal to not have Thomas as the goal-line back by the coaching staff.  Be that as it may Miller has run the ball horribly this season so we can't get too crazy with this.

Benny Cunningham:  There was no status update on St. Louis Rams RB Zac Stacy Monday after he suffered a concussion in the second half of the team's win over the Chicago Bears.  That means Cunningham is a must own handcuff for Stacy owners.  The kid did great in Stacy's place last Sunday by rushing for 109 yards on 13 carries and netting a touchdown. 

WEEK 13 DROPS

Darren McFadden:  Rashad Jennings has been better than even I had anticipated and so you can forget about Darren McFadden reclaiming the starting role.  In fact word is that if McFadden returns to the lineup this week from his hamstring injury, he will serve as the change of pace back.  That my friends is a fantasy football death sentence.

DeAndre Hopkins:  Hopkins was a nice early story but since September ended he has been nothing but a space-eater not worth starting.  The Texans have been a complete joke this season and the offense as a whole has been swallowed up with the rest of the mess that is the franchise in its current state.

As always post your thoughts below.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 12 MONDAY WRAPUP: REDSKINS/49ERS

    

Colin Kaepernick is getting hot at the right time of the season while those who own any Washington Redskins might want to think about planting their fannies squarely onto the bench.  Let's take a look at the fantasy football storylines coming out this game.

-Speaking of Kaepernick, he was splendid in throwing for 235 yards and three touchdowns which marks the second straight big time.  To make matters even more optimistic, Kaepernick will welcome back his favorite target from last season, WR Michael Crabtree, next week.  It has been a lot of rough patches to get to this point for Kaepernick fantasy football owners.....even if they even still own the guy outright....but it looks like the playoff weeks could be kind.

On the other side things are going from bad to worse for Robert Griffin III.  Amid questions he has been calling out players in public and is feuding with Mike Shanahan, Griffin was a dog Monday night in throwing for only 127 yards and 1 INT.  Granted the 49ers defense is rough but Griffin has been garbage all season unless it is garbage time.  Don't even think of starting him in any game of meaning the rest of the season.

-Frank Gore has been very quiet since October and one has to wonder if age is showing up a bit as the season wears on.  Gore rushed for only 31 yards on 13 carries and caught only 1 pass for 2 yards.  Not good.  Gore is another one I am worried about rolling with into the fantasy football playoff weeks.

Meanwhile Alfred Morris made the best of a very tough situation in rushing for 52 yards on 14 carries.  The ongoing problem with Morris is that he doesn't catch the football which means he is a non-factor when the Redskins start getting blown out and they have to pass on every down.

-Anquan Boldin likely gave his fantasy football owners the win Monday night by catching 5 balls for 94 yards and 2 scores.  Things could get murky with Crabtree back though.  Same could be said for Vernon Davis who caught 4 passes for 70 yards and his own TD, although I think the latter will still be very solid with Crabtree back in the fold.

-Pierre Garcon did his PPR owners a nice job by catching 8 balls for 48 yards.  The yardage was not good at all but the raw reception total helped.  That is about all the good I can say about Washington.

There you have it.  As always let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 12 WRAPUP: THURSDAY SAINTS/FALCONS

     

Wow fantasy football Week 12 is already here as the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons kicked off Thursday night.  Let's get to all of the noteworthy performances that came out of this game.

-It is actually boring to talk about Drew Brees due to the fact he is so consistently great each week.  Standard operating procedure for Brees Thursday night as he threw for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns.  What I guess could be slightly disappointing for Brees owners is the fact that those two scores came in the first quarter which started visions of a monsters 4 or 5 TD game.  However Brees was shut down from that point on which was a minor bummer.

On the other side, Matt Ryan once again came up with a shoddy bottom line game with ZERO touchdown passes despite throwing for 292 yards.  Ryan could not get the football down the field and instead was left to play the dump off game.  Again I will reiterate the fact that there is a clear line of demarcation of Ryan the stud from the first six weeks and than Ryan the zero since that point which of course coincides with the loss of Julio Jones for the season.  Roddy White has been horrendous despite finally getting back on the field after his myriad of injuries.  White caught only 2 balls for 24 yards as he can't seem to even get off the line at times.  Ryan owners need to seriously look for a better alternative if they already haven't done so.

-It wasn't all bad for the Falcons as Harry Douglas continued his PPR gem ways with 9 catches for 79 yards.  The fact Douglas could only net 79 yards on all of those catches was a letdown for sure when it comes to owners in standard formats.  Douglas however got little help from anyone as we already talked about White to go with Tony Gonzalez catching only 4 balls for 43 yards.  Gonzalez is playing with a toe injury and like with Ryan, has been very shoddy with the numbers since Jones went out.  Opposing defenses are ganging up on Gonzalez since he is the best remaining target for Ryan and when combined with injury, we could be looking at a very rough finish to the season.

-On the Saints' side, Jimmy Graham was a monster with 5 catches for 100 yards and a score.  I tell you what the one guy I would dread seeing more on the other side in a fantasy football matchup right now other than Calvin Johnson is this guy.  Outside of Graham, Marques Colston was hot early but than cooled as he caught only 4 balls for 40 yards.  Kenny Stills meanwhile grabbed only 2 balls for 22 yards.  With only three catches the last two games, Stills should be sent to the bench.

-Steven Jackson showed a bit of life as he rushed for 63 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown.  However he looks completely shot and the Falcons already have to be regretting that contract they gave him.  Meanwhile Pierre Thomas had his one big game a month as he rushed for 73 yards on 10 carries while also catching 5 balls for 57 yards.  Thomas was featured with Darren Sproles out injured. 

That's all for now.  Let us know your thoughts on the game.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 12 RUNNING BACK HOT ZONE: DONALD BROWN PUSHING TRENT RICHARDSON ASIDE

Once again Wednesday means its fantasy football Running Back Hot Zone day when we look into all of the latest changes and happening in this all-important position.

LEVEL 4

Donald Brown-Trent Richardson:  We have been over too many times the fact that Trent Richardson is having as bad a season as anyone in football.  It has now gotten to the point in Indianapolis where old bust Donald Brown has found new life in his place.  Brown is coming off a two-TD game last Thursday and since the midpoint of the season, has run with burst and decisiveness we haven't seen since he came into the league out of UCONN.  This smells like a clear changing of the guard as the playoff stretch begins for the Colts.  In addition to the running, Brown can catch some passes as well so those who are stuck with LeSean McCoy or Marshawn Lynch on a bye should look here for an underrated option.

Chris Ogbonnaya-Willis McGahee:  Officially stick a fork in the old as dirt McGahee as Ogbonnayya is now squarely the Cleveland Browns' starting running back based on last week's usage.  Ogbonnaya has been like Donald Brown in that he has stepped up when given the chance in the middle of season and run with burst that his counterpart has not.  No reason for the Browns to keep going back to McGahee as he looks completely spent so Ogbonnaya deserves a decent look.

LEVEL 2

Montee Ball-Knowshon Moreno:  We are not here to discuss Montee Ball taking the starting running back job from Knowshon Moreno.  Moreno got almost all of the carries Sunday night so he remains the one to own as far as the workload is concerned.  However we must take note of the fact Ball was used around the goal-line which resulted in two rushing touchdowns during the K.C. game.  Moreno has done more than his share of touchdown converting in close since the season began but we always have to go on the latest trends which could boost Ball a bit.  We saw a few weeks ago in Washington how Roy Helu Jr's three TD game was just a one-week mirage and this could very well be the case here as well.  Something to watch for another week however.

There you have it.  Let us know your thoughts on this.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 12 ADDS/DROPS

Waiver wire day is Wednesday for most leagues so let's check out who made the cut this week in fantasy football Adds/Drops.

WEEK 12 ADDS

Josh McCown:  All Aaron Rodgers owners should be checking this out as McCown has looked terrific in Jay Cutler's place from the start.  With Cutler possibly out until the playoffs, McCown remains the starter who has the best one-two punch at receiver to toss the football to in Alshon Jeffrey and Brandon Marshall.

Bobby Rainey:  Duh.  Rainey will be the most sought after name off the wire this week after he scored three touchdowns and ran all over the place last Sunday.  While Rainey will likely not come close to that realm of numbers the rest of the season, the kid obviously has some ability and is the clear cut top runner on the Buc's.

Donald Brown:  Brown has played very well the last four weeks while Trent Richardson continues to struggle at a ridiculous level.  It has now gotten to the point where Brown is becoming the featured back in the high-powered Colts offense as his two touchdowns in Week 11 could attest.

Rishard Matthews:  We will sign off on a Matthews signing as the kid has caught 15 balls the last two weeks.  While Cecil Shorts remains the clear top dog in the passing attack for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Matthews is nudging his way into the offense.

Miles Austin:  Austin is back in action this week after basically being out since the start of October with a bum hamstring.  The Cowboys are expected to be involve in a shootout Sunday against the New York Giants so all hands on deck in this one.

Nate Burleson:  Burleson returns for Week 12 after missing over a month after injuries he sustained in a car accident.  The Lions' number 2 wideout was playing very well before the accident and he goes right into one of the more busy passing attacks in the game.

Delanie Walker:  Walker was a monster last Thursday against the Colts after catching 10 passes and a touchdown.  Always underrated in talent while playing behind Vernon Davis in San Francisco, Walker is getting his shot to be the main guy in Tennessee and responding well.  Ryan Fitzpatrick enjoys throwing to the tight end so Walker should continue to shine.

Joel Dreesseen:  This is insurance in case Julius Thomas has to miss the game with a knee injury.  Dreesseen is not a great receiver but anyone who plays in the Denver offense is worth a long look.

WEEK 12 DROPS

Tim Wright:  One catch in each of the last two games spells doom for Wright.  Mike Glennon looks more comfortable throwing the football down the field so that lessens the appeal of Wright.

Roddy White:  Yes he is back but he is still doing absolutely nothing.  Has turned old overnight. 

FANTASY FOOTBALL WRAPUP: MONDAY PATS/PANTHERS

      

We finish off fantasy football Week 11 by looking at the storylines coming out of the Patriots-Panthers game.

-You have to hand it to Cam Newton.  The guy has clearly elevated his game against the bets opponents on the schedule.  Newton was terrific Monday night in throwing for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns while also rushing for 62 yards on only 7 carries.  When Newton combines passing scores with rushing yards, he is a gem of a fantasy football QB.  Sure his penchant for getting off to slow starts is maddening but Newton is looking pretty locked in at the moment.

On the other side Tom Brady threw for 296 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT as he continued his season-long pattern of underwhelming play.  He has a full allotment of receivers now but in this one had to deal with the top-ranked Panthers defense.  In actuality as well, Brady was robbed of a chance to win it due to the bogus non-call of pass interference after Rob Gronkowski got mugged in the end zone on the final play of the game.

-Shane Vereen returned to action but he got only one carry for 7 yards.  Meanwhile Bill Belichick was at it again in toying with Stevan Ridley in a negative way as he gave LeGarrette Blount 10 carries.  Blount rushed for 49 yards on those ten carries while Ridley yielded 48 on 13.  Luckily Ridley got the goal-line carries which resulted in a fantasy football game-saving score.

Now as far as Vereen is concerned, he shined in the passing game by leading the Pats with 8 catches for 65 yards.  This is the role Vereen will be featured in so he has little to no value in standard formats.  However in PPR leagues Vereen has absolute RB 2 status.

-Getting back to Gronkowski, he had his customary touchdown reception to go with five overall grabs for 59 yards.  Danny Amendola chipped in 6 catches for 45 yards and Aaron Dobson added 4 for 38. 

-It was  fun duel between Steve Smith and Aquib Talib but the former wound up getting hurt because of the rough stuff.  Still Smith returned to the game but was not effective afterwards.  He would catch only 4 passes for 62 yards overall.  Greg Olsen picked up the receiving slack along with Brandon LaFell.  Olsen caught a touchdown pass among his 5 grabs for 52 yards and LaFell hit paydirt as well among his 7 catches for 59 yards.  LaFell now has four touchdowns on the season and he has done enough to be a guy you could use as a WR 3 in standard setups.

That's all for now.  As always feel free to post your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEL 11 INJURY REPORT: CONCUSSIONS TAKE DOWN WES WELKER AND JORDAN REED

Another week and another batch of big fantasy football names bit the injury dust.  Let's take a look at the main storylines.

-Denver Broncos WR Wes Welker went down in the second half Sunday night in the team's game versus the Kansas City Chiefs with a concussion to which he will have to pass the NFL mandated protocol to play against the New England Patriots in Week 12.  Welker immediately went to the sidelines after the hit and was officially declared to have suffered a concussion early Monday.  We all know concussions are fickle things and put Welker's availability at 50/50 for next week.  Eric Decker and Demaryuis Thomas would see a sharp increase in targets in his place.

On a related note, Broncos tight end Julius Thomas is considered day-to-day with a knee sprain.  The sprain was minor enough for Thomas to return to the field Sunday night but he did undergo tests Monday as a precaution which turned up nothing serious.  Thomas is earning a reputation for getting dinged up but he has fought through it thus far this season.

-Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed has been a terrific find this season but a concussion knocked him out early Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.  Like with Welker, Reed has to pass the concussion protocols which is never a slam dunk.  Again like Welker, Reed is 50/50 to play next week.

-San Diego Chargers WR Keenan Allen suffered a hyperextended right knee Sunday which cost him half the game.  The team has gone to great lengths saying Allen is fine however and the impressive youngster is likely ready to go for Week 12.

-Pierre Garcon was complaining after the Redskins' game that his ankle was bothering him.  Garcon has a long history of foot injury so this bears watching but the fact he was able to play the majority of the game and finish it means he should be available.

-They are calling it a minor hamstring injury that sent Eagles RB LeSean McCoy to the locker room Sunday but those from the inside say it was just a cramp.  McCoy was able to return and finish the game strong.  Nothing to see here.

-Joquie Bell suffered a foot injury that cost him the end of the Detroit Lions' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers but head coach Jim Schwartz said he could have gone back in but that the team was being overly cautious.  Theo Riddick gets a boost if Bell can't go as Reggie Bush is in the doghouse for fumbling.

-Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson admitted after his team's loss to the Seattle Seahawks that his groin was more than a minor issue.  Peterson will gut it out but his numbers could be taking a hit because of it.

-Emmanuel Sanders suffered a knee injury for the Steelers Sunday and was replaced by Markus Wheaton.  Sanders has done a very nice job opposite Antonio Brown but his status needs to be watched.  Jerricho Cotchery takes on appeal if he can't go.

There you have it.  Be sure to continually check the site all week for constant status updates on these players and the others around the league.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 11 WRAPUP: 4:00 GAMES AND LATER

Moving right along with the wrapups for fantasy football Week 11, we now delve into the 4:00 games and later to bring it all to a conclusion.

-Peyton Manning owners are in a perpetual state of holding their breath every time he gets hit due to the double ankle sprains that have taken some of the zip off his passes and make him an injury risk going forward.  However Manning made it through just fine against the hard-hitting Kansas City Chiefs defense but wound up throwing for a season-low one TD.  Still Manning threw for 323 yards and the TD total was fluky since the Broncos got in close on some throws that made running the right call.  Just to show you the trends however with Manning, the owner of the Broncos QB in the Experts League suffered his first loss of the season which just so happened to coincide with his subpar TD total. 

-There is no question Knowshon Moreno is the bellcow back in the Broncos offense which was reinforced by the 27 carries for 79 yards he achieved Sunday night.  However in close Montee Ball got the call and the rookie successfully converted on both of his chances.  This was a curveball no doubt for Moreno owners as the Georgia back has done just fine picking up the in-close scores himself all season which made Jack Del Rio's usage here puzzling.  Be that as it may, coaches always fall back on things that work so Ball could be the goal-line specialist now which is a hit to Moreno's fantasy football value.

-Have to watch the concussion suffered by Wes Welker closely.  Welker took his turn being the man in the Broncos passing attack Sunday by catching 8 balls for 72 yards.  However Demaryuis Thomas was no slouch in picking up 123 receiving yards on five catchers.  Eric Decker mopped it up with 5 grabs for 70.  Decker figures to move up in value if Welker misses next week. 

Speaking of injuries, Broncos tight end Julius Thomas is headed for testing on his injured knee after scoring yet another touchdown on his 3 catches for 43 yards.  Thomas has been a dream find for fantasy football owners but this is the second time in three weeks we are talking about injuries here.  Joel Dreesseen in the backup to own if Thomas is out.

-Dwayne Bowe put his DUI issue behind him for the game by catching 4 passes for 57 yards and a score.  That was about all she wrote for the Chiefs offense as even Jamaal Charles didn't do too much in catching 2 passes and rushing for only 78 yards on 16 carries.

-Both Philip Rivers and Ryan Tannehill threw for a TD and an INT.  Rivers has drastically slowed down since his big September.  Meanwhile Ryan Matthews has picked up the slack in rushing for 127 yards on 19 carries and catching 2 balls.  Truth be told Matthews has been really good since mid-October but we all know he can never be totally trusted. 

-Speaking of slowing down, Keenan Allen is possibly hitting the rookie wall as injuries are piling up for him as well.  Allen came in with only 3 catches for 45 yards before hitting the sidelines for good with a knee issue.  Antonio Gates was left to himself to make plays in the passing attack but other than his one score, was mostly a non-factor.  The entire Chargers passing offense is struggling, with the shoddy offensive line bearing a lot of the responsibility. 

-No one is paying attention to the nice season put forth by Dolphins tight end Charles Clay who scored a TD while catching 6 passes for 90 yards Sunday.  With Tannehill under constant duress, his most effective play has been to look for his tight end.

-The 49ers defense did a great job against Drew Brees. holding him to only 1 TD pass on 305 yards.  Brees owners are spoiled rotten so no shedding tears for them.  Colin Kaepernick meanwhile actually threw for two touchdowns but only 127 yards as Rob Ryan's defense has him on the run all day.  Once again Kaepernick is grossly overrated which is what I warned about in the summer.

-The Kenny Stills show crashed and burned Sunday as he caught only 1 pass for 11 yards.  Stills is not to be touched in PPR formats as he is a clear boom or bust guy whose value is solely determined on getting into the end zone each week.  When he doesn't do so, there is not much to discuss.

-Finally some signs of life by Anquan Boldin who caught 6 passes for 56 yards and a TD.  The Kaepernick struggles have had a huge effect on Boldin's value which is nothing more than a WR 3 now.

-Eddie Lacy had his first poor game since coming back from his concussion in October so we can't get on him too much for rushing for only 27 yards on 14 carries.  He did score which helped save the day somewhat but Lacy had a tough go with the Giants stacking the box with Scott Tolzien at QB.

-Victor Cruz has been in the midst of his least effective season since coming into the league but he was a big time force Sunday by catching 8 passes for 110 yards.  Still we want to see more scores.  Hakeem Nicks too who has yet to hit paydirt this season.

-Jordy Nelson's fantasy football value seemed in peril with Aaron Rodgers out but he is getting by with Tolzien just fine after grabbing 8 passes for 117 yards.  Even Jarrett Boykin is shockingly holding his value even with the return of James Jones as he caught 6 passes for 91 yards.  Boykin is a big play waiting to happen and should be held onto.

-Was interesting to see Brandon Jacobs called on to convert on a goal-line carry and not Andre Brown who is more than capable there.  Brown came back to earth some by rushing for 66 yards on 18 carries but he is the clear top runner which spells out RB 2 value.

-Three touchdowns by Marshawn Lynch Sunday as the guy just always finds a way to get into the end zone.  Despite rushing for only 54 yards on 17 carries, Lynch scored twice running the football and once on a shovel pass from Russell Wilson.  Wilson himself threw for two more scores and is actually moving close to top 7 or so territory this season.

There you have it.  Let us hear your thoughts.

FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 11 WRAPUP: 1:00 GAMES

Not as exciting a day as we have seen in the past in fantasy football parlance but there were some out of the blue performances to certainly take note of.

-E.J. Manuel was a guy from the start I told you all to take a flier on as your backup with upside but injuries curtailed the storyline for awhile.  However now that he is back, Manuel is picking up where he left off in September with some solid but unspectacular starts.  Manuel toyed with the New York Jets Sunday by throwing for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He remains a clear low end QB 2 in those type of formats at best but I stand my earlier assertion that 2014 is when Manuel will be worth looking into in a more prominent role.

-I love killing C.J. Spiller every week but I have to admit now I am getting bored with saying the same things.  He rushed for only 6 yards on 13 carries which is an utter disgrace and continues a season-long struggle when he is the clear cut number 1 fantasy football bust.  He absolutely can't be started right now but truth be told Fred Jackson was not much better with 32 yards on 12 carries. 

-Marquise Goodwin came out of the shadows to catch 6 balls for 81 yards and a score.  Goodwin was the featured Bills receiver as both Steve Johnson and Robert Woods were injured.  It is likely Goodwin will go back to irrelevance.  This is especially true when you consider the bad weather as already arrived in Buffalo and that means we are past the cutoff date where those who take part in the passing game on this team are not useful.

-Nice game for Chris Ivory in the middle of the disaster that were the Jets Sunday as he rushed for 98 yards and a score on only 15 carries.  Same deal as before with Ivory as a RB 2 in standard formats.

-There you go Ray Rice!!!!  Needless to say it has been a very trying year for fantasy football owners of Ray Rice who has dealt with a hip injury and drastically reduced numbers across the board.  It had gotten so bad that Rice was being benched in more than a few leagues which is something I couldn't find fault with to a degree.  However Rice gave us a reminder of how great he can be Sunday by rushing for 131 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown to go along with 3 catches for 17 yards.  The fact Rice got so much work in a week leading up to the game where John Harbaugh said he would go with Bernard Pierce at times is telling.  Obviously things are looking up finally.

-Alshon Jeffrey was the receiving star for the Bears in the wind and rain by catching 7 balls for 83 yards while Brandon Marshall came in with only 4 for 42.  Jeffrey was open all game long while Marshall was dealing with Ravens CB Jimmy Graham. 

-Matt Forte was quiet the last few weeks but he came back strong against the Ravens by rushing for 83 yards on 18 carries while also catching 5 balls for 42 yards and a score.  No fears of wearing down yet despite the overall increase in work Forte is getting. 

-Boy Andy Dalton is trying patience again.  For the second week in a row Dalton was careless with the football as he tossed two picks early in the first half.  However Dalton saves his day by throwing three touchdown passes which compensated for the turnovers and the horrid total of 93 yards passing.  Dalton's terrific mid-October stretch was eye opening but is quickly being forgotten.  Ultimately I still like Dalton a lot given his vast array of weapons but his turnovers are killing his bottom line.

-Ugh Jason Campbell showed why he has been a backup for so long.  Three interceptions quickly changed the narrative on the guy after he played very well the last two weeks off the bench in place of Brandon Weeden. 

-Basically if your star fantasy football receiver is going against Browns CB Joe Haden, you have trouble.  Just check out the grand total of 2 catches for 7 yards compiled by A.J. Green Sunday.  Haden picked off two passed headed toward Green early on in the game and completely shut him down.  Green will obviously be fine but Haden is a true shutdown corner in ever sense of the word.

-Josh Gordon is so underrated it is scary.  If he played on any other team with a good QB, the numbers could be staggering.  He reminds me a lot of Dez Bryant the way he is so athletic and can come up with almost every pass tossed his way.  Gordon caught 5 balls for 125 yards and 1 TD and is every bit a low end WR 1.

-Boy did LeSean McCoy fantasy football owners like yours truly go through the gamut of emotions Sunday.  After seemingly sleepwalking through a terrible October, McCoy is back to being the best fantasy football back in the game as he rushed for 77 yards on 20 carries with 2 scores to go along with 4 catches for 73 more yards.  In between McCoy gave us all heart attacks as he left the game with what was feared a hamstring injury.  The walk to the locker room was sobering but soon McCoy was back out for the second half and all was right in the fantasy football world.  The fact that Nick Foles has played so great the last month clearly has done nothing but open up running lanes for McCoy.  In fact things went to the extreme the other way as Foles failed to throw for a touchdown but still has also yet to throw a pick.

-I wrote a small piece about how RG3 puts up more garbage time fantasy football points than anyone and that was true once again Sunday as he tossed two second half scores and the majority of his 264 yards.  Hey however you want to get there is fine with us as long as the numbers add up.

-Alfred Morris was totally overshadowed by McCoy but he made it five straight games of good to great production by rushing for 93 yards on 22 carries.

-It was a tale of two halves for Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson as both men were on pace for record-breaking yardage totals respectively.  Both men were shut down almost completely in the second half however which ultimately put a damper on what we thought would be monumental numbers.  Stafford finished with 362 yards with 2 TD's and 1 INT while Johnson came in with 6 catches for 179 yards and 2 scores.  Could have been more though.

-Reggie Bush took a seat due to fumbling issues.  Truth be told September Bush has been pretty ordinary and is being lost in the shuffle with all the passing Detroit is doing.  Bush finished with only 31 rushing yards on 12 carries while Joquie Bell came on in relief to score a TD and pick up 49 yards on 9 attempts.  Bush is getting dangerously close to RB 3 status, especially in standard formats.

-Ben Roethlisberger has been locked in the last three weeks and had his best game of the season Sunday in tossing four touchdown passes with a total of 367 yards.  While Big Ben has been very inconsistent form game to game during his entire career, start him while he is hot.

-Antonio Brown kept up the show Sunday in scoring two touchdowns on his 7 catches for 147 yards.  The NFL's leading receptions wideout has been even better than anyone could have imagined.

-Heath Miller is likely sitting there on your wire waiting to get picked up.  Miller is now at the point in his career where he is a boring fantasy football veteran but Roethlisberger loves him.  He grabbed 8 passes for 67 yards on Sunday.

-Bobby Rainey anyone?  The Browns castoff quickly seized control of the Buccaneer's starting running back job as rumbled for an insane 163 yards on 30 carries and 2 touchdowns while also catching 2 balls for 4 yards and a third score.  I had Rainey in the ADD section in last week's ADD/DROP column and said if you had only one spot to use on your roster, use it on him and not Brian Leonard due to his bigger play ability.  Obviously Rainey knows what he is doing running the football but the story is not longer a secret and the battle will be fierce to claim him off waivers this week.

-Tim Wright caught only one pass for the second week in a row so no need to stick with him.  One bad game for an unproven guy is all right but two in a row means time to move on.

-Vincent Jackson seriously had no in between when it comes to his games.  He either catches 2 balls for 15 yards or has a game like he did Sunday when he grabbed 10 balls for 165 yards and a score. 

-Harry Douglas is a true breakout guy this season as he had another huge game Sunday in catching 6 balls for 134 yards and a score.  Douglas has performed like a WR 1 since Julio Jones went out and he likely will cause Roddy White to get cut in the offseason.

-Carson Palmer has the Cardinals at 6-4 so he has been well worth the investment.  Sunday was a big day for Palmer as he tossed for 419 yards and 2 scores with no turnovers.  He has getting back to being useful in two-QB formats but play the matchups as when Palmer is bad, he is really bad.

-No reason to talk about the running games for both as Andre Ellington, Rashard Mendenhall, and Maurice Jones-Drew were all horrendous.

-Michael Floyd has hinted at big time ability in the past but not until Sunday did we really see it in spades.  Floyd caught 6 passes for an extreme 193 yards and a touchdown Sunday and he should be included in your lineups for next week to see if he can build on that tremendous outing.

-Cecil Shorts popped off after the game after he grabbed only 2 balls for 22 yards.  This was the second straight miserable outing for Shorts who complained about his place in the offense.  I don't blame him as your best player should not be featured so poorly.  Usually when situations like this arise, the player is huge the next week so give Shorts another game. 

-All Case Keenum owners were banging their heads against the wall Sunday as Gary Kubiak inexplicably benched him for Matt Schaub despite the rookie playing just fine.  Keenum has been very good since becoming the starter to the point where some fantasy football owners were using him as their number 1 guy.  Kubiak claims he wanted better tempo which is why he went back to Schaub.  This is now clearly one big mess and both guys should be ignored until it is ironed out.  If Kubiak goes back to Schaub, run way. 

-Andre Johnson owners had to be especially annoyed about Keenum hitting the bench since all five of his touchdowns had come with the kid under center.  Johnson still was very good Sunday in catching 10 balls for 116 yards but if Schaub returns, than the TD outlook dims.  Overall though as a big Johnson lover, the guy has been a stud all season and has fought through some injuries to stay out there every week. 

-Matt McGloin was just the latest QB to come out of nowhere to perform well in his first start as he threw for three scores and 197 yards.  Rod Streater was the beneficiary as he grabbed 6 balls for 84 yards and a score.  Don't go running picking up McGloin as we have to see a whole lot more to even think of doing such a move.

-Garrett Graham has been solid in replacing Owen Daniels and Sunday was a big day as he caught 7 balls for 136 yards and a score.  Graham is a solid tight end 1 to use for now and this is especially true if Schaub returns under center this week.

There you have it. Let us hear your thoughts.