Titans at Jaguars - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: Both Zach Mettenberger and Jake Locker are out with injuries, leaving the quarterback position in the hands of Charlie Whitehurst, who should be starting for nobody’s fantasy team. The same can be said for the rest of the pass-catching unit of the Titans, with one obvious exception – tight end Delanie Walker. Walker leads the team with 52 receptions and 793 yards while snaring four touchdowns. He amassed 92 yards last week and has a good match-up against Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are 21st in the league in pass defense but tied for 10th-fewest passing scores allowed. They are squarely in the middle of the NFL in terms of fantasy points allowed to both quarterbacks and wide receivers, but have been solid against each of late. Jacksonville hasn’t given up double-digit fantasy points to a wideout for three straight games, and has held each of the past four quarterbacks they’ve faced to fewer than 255 passing yards without allowing more than one touchdown pass. However, they have given up the 10th-most fantasy points to tight ends, including 62 yards and a score last week to Baltimore’s Owen Daniels.

Running Game Thoughts: Bishop Sankey has done absolutely nothing of note, which is why Shonn Green got the call last week against the Jets after being scratched the previous week. Greene carried the ball 16 times for 50 yards, and while those numbers aren’t noteworthy, he was facing a good Jets run defense. If it was certain Greene would be getting another 15+ carries this week, it’d be easy to recommend him against the Jags’ poor run defense, but it’s impossible to know which Titan will be getting the bulk of the carries, and it’s too big a risk to take this late in the fantasy playoffs.

Jacksonville is 27th in the NFL in run defense and tied for 25th in rushing scores given up. They held Baltimore’s running game in check last week, but fantasy owners shouldn’t let that fool them. The Jags have surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points in the league to running backs and have allowed double-digit fantasy points to backs six times in their last six games.

Projections:
Charlie Whitehurst: 215 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Shonn Greene: 55 rush yds
Bishop Sankey: 15 rush yds
Nate Washington: 65 rec yds
Kendall Wright: 40 rec yds
Derek Hagan: 25 rec yds
Delanie Walker: 75 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Lots of people seem to be quite high on Blake Bortles, and who know, maybe one day he’ll become an elite quarterback. But that day is not today, and as such he should continue to be ignored by fantasy owners. He does have some interesting pass-catchers around him, and though the inconsistencies are somewhat frightening late in the fantasy playoffs, it wouldn’t be out of the question for fantasy owners to consider one of them – Allen Hurns. The wideout leads the team with 636 yards and (more importantly) six touchdowns, and the match-up this week against the Titans is one that could make him a solid WR3.

Tennessee has the NFL’s 18th-ranked pass defense and they are tied for 21st in passing scores yielded. The team is in the middle of the league in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, but has been scorched by wideouts of late. Over their last five games, the Titans have given up double-digit fantasy points to a wide receiver four times, including 238 yards and two scores to Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins, and even allowed 100 yards last week to Eric Decker, who plays for the pass-averse Jets.

Running Game Thoughts: Denard Robinson provided a big lift to fantasy owners when he took over at running back for Toby Gerhart, but a foot injury has sidelined Robinson, making Gerhart the team’s top back again. He ran for 54 yards on 13 carries last week against the Ravens, who are third in the league in run defense. Gerhart remains a bit of a risk, but it’s hard not to like him as a flex play – at the least – against the atrocious rush defense of the Tennessee Titans.
No team in the league has given up more rushing yards this season than the Titans, and just three squads have allowed more rushing scores. Tennessee has allowed 1,808 rushing yards to running backs this season, which is 150+ yards more than any other team, and has given up the third-most fantasy points to backs.

Projections:
Blake Bortles: 210 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Toby Gerhart: 75 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Allen Hurns: 70 rec yds, 1 TD
Cecil Shorts: 55 rec yds
Marqise Lee: 35 rec yds
Marcedes Lewis: 25 rec yds

Prediction: Jaguars 20, Titans 13 ^ Top

Ravens at Texans - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: Joe Flacco has had a solid 2014 campaign, and fantasy owners have gotten what they should have expected – a low-end QB1 or QB2. He hasn’t thrown more than two touchdowns in a game since Week 6, but did find tight end Owen Daniels last week for the first time in six games and has distributed the ball nicely to Steve Smith most of the year. Smith has been up and down of late, but fantasy owners should expect him to be up this week against a Texans defense that is awful against wide receivers.

Houston is tied for 26th in the NFL in pass defense and tied for 24th in passing scores surrendered. They’ve given up the 13th-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and are tied for sixth-fewest fantasy points allowed to tight ends, but only Philadelphia and Baltimore have permitted more fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

Running Game Thoughts: Justin Forsett has had an unexpectedly fantastic year, so fantasy owners should forgive him for laying an egg with fewer than 50 total yards last week. He’s run for over 1,100 yards with eight rushing scores, and though his match-up with Houston is anything but easy, Forsett should be able to move the ball both on the ground and as a pass-catcher.

The Texans are 14th in the league in run defense and are tied with Arizona for third-fewest rushing scores given up. Houston has allowed a fair number of receiving yards to opposing running backs, which is why, despite their solid overall numbers against the run, they’ve allowed the 14th-fewest (or 19th-most, however you want to look at it) fantasy points to running backs.

Projections:
Joe Flacco: 255 pass yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Justin Forsett: 75 rush yds, 25 rec yds
Steve Smith: 90 rec yds, 2 TD
Torrey Smith: 45 rec yds
Marlon Brown: 35 rec yds
Owen Daniels: 50 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Houston has lost Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett, and Tom Savage to injury, which means the team will be starting either Thad Lewis or Case Keenum under center this week. The Texans aren’t expected to announce who will be getting the start until around game time, but Case Keenum did start for the team last season so that familiarity should work in his favor. Even against a soft Baltimore pass defense (yardage-wise), fantasy owners should avoid Keenum (or Lewis) but shouldn’t ignore DeAndre Hopkins if he plays. Houston will undoubtedly focus on the running game, but on the occasions they do throw, Hopkins will be getting the looks.

The Ravens are 30th in the league against the pass but tied for 10th in passing touchdowns allowed. Though they’ve been decent against tight ends, all those passing yards are turning into fantasy points for quarterbacks (Baltimore has allowed eighth-most fantasy points to players at that position) and wide receivers (only the Eagles have allowed more fantasy points to wideouts).

Running Game Thoughts: Arian Foster racked up 99 yards on the ground last week against the Colts, though it took him 26 carries to do so. That type of workload – or even heavier – should be in store for Foster once again this week as the Texans look to minimize their replacement quarterback’s exposure to Baltimore’s defense. There is no tougher match-up for a running back than the Ravens, but fantasy owners who have rolled with Foster this far shouldn’t be backing down from him now.

Baltimore owns the NFL’s third-ranked run defense and is tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns permitted. Only the Chiefs have allowed fewer touchdowns to running backs, and no team has allowed fewer fantasy points to players at that position.

Projections:
Case Keenum: 155 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Arian Foster: 70 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
DeAndre Hopkins: 75 rec yds, 1 TD
Andre Johnson: 40 rec yds
Ryan Griffin: 15 rec yds

Prediction: Ravens 20, Texans 14 ^ Top

Browns at Panthers - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: Johnny Manziel was ghastly in his start last week against Cincinnati, with 80 yards passing and two interceptions on 18 attempts. He has an easier match-up this week, but fantasy owners should have learned their lesson – keep Johnny Football benched. On the other side of the coin there’s Josh Gordon. Yes, he relies on Manziel to get him the ball, but the Panthers have a defense conducive to allowing that to happen and Gordon is too good to be held in check this week.

Carolina is 12th in the NFL against the pass but tied for 21st in passing touchdowns allowed. While they have been solid against tight ends most of the year, the Panthers have given up the 10th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and the 11th-most points to wide receivers.

Running Game Thoughts: Like in every other aspect of their game last week, the Browns had very little success running the ball. Yet for the season they’ve been solid with the rookie duo of Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West. The more effective player for fantasy owners has been Crowell, who has eight rushing scores despite having fewer carries than West. Crowell is a solid flex option this week against Carolina’s ragged run defense.

The Panthers are 21st in the league in run defense and tied for 25th in rushing touchdowns yielded. Despite those poor numbers against the run, they’ve only allowed the 13th-most fantasy points in the league to running backs, but it won’t take much to vault them into the top-10 in fantasy points allowed to players at the position.

Projections:
Johnny Manziel: 185 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 30 rush yds
Isaiah Crowell: 65 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Terrance West: 40 rush yds
Josh Gordon: 85 rec yds, 1 TD
Andrew Hawkins: 35 rec yds
Taylor Gabriel: 15 rec yds
Jordan Cameron: 25 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Cam Newton, who missed last week’s contest after injuries sustained in a car accident, has been practicing this week, and though it won’t be known until around game time if he’ll play, reports have been favorable. However, fantasy owners should take caution putting a recently injured mobile quarterback in their lineups against a team that has severely limited fantasy points to QBs. There’s also risk in playing Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen, but neither is coming off fractured vertebrae (like Newton) and each has a track record of success too good to ignore.

The Browns are seventh in the NFL in pass defense and tied for seventh in passing scores surrendered. They have given up the 13th-fewest fantasy points in the league to wide receivers, the 10th-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, and only four teams have allowed fewer fantasy points to quarterbacks.

Running Game Thoughts: DeAngelo Williams missed another game last week, but has been practicing this week, though his status remains in the air. Jonathan Stewart has responded as the team’s lone back, having run for 75+ yards in three consecutive games. If Williams once again fails to play, Stewart qualifies as a fantasy starter against a Browns defense that is unable to stop the run.

Cleveland is second-to-last in the league in run defense and tied for 21st in rushing touchdowns allowed. They’ve been better than some of their competition in terms of keeping running backs in check in the passing game, which is why the Browns have only allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to backs and aren’t worse.

Projections:
Cam Newton: 250 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 20 rush yds
Jonathan Stewart: 85 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Kelvin Benjamin: 90 rec yds, 1 TD
Philly Brown: 35 rec yds
Jerricho Cotchery: 25 rec yds
Greg Olsen: 80 rec yds

Prediction: Panthers 20, Browns 17 ^ Top

Falcons at Saints - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: Matt Ryan threw for more than 300 yards last week against the Steelers, marking his third straight game with at least 300 yards and bringing him over 4,000 yards for the season. He also threw for a pair of touchdowns and has thrown for multiple scores in four straight contests. Ryan did this last week without the benefit of Julio Jones, who missed the game with a hip injury and whose status for this week remains to be seen. If he does play, he’s a clear-cut fantasy starter (as is Roddy White) against a vulnerable New Orleans pass defense.

The Saints are tied for 26th in the league in pass defense and tied for 21st in passing touchdowns given up. On a positive note, they are tied for sixth-fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this year, but on the opposite side of that, New Orleans has given up more fantasy points to quarterbacks than all but three other teams and is tied for seventh-most fantasy points allowed to wideouts.

Running Game Thoughts: Steven Jackson ran for 46 yards last week against Pittsburgh, and the five total fantasy points he amassed marked just the second time in seven games he failed to compile double-digit fantasy points. He should be able to put another game with double-digit points against a lousy Saints run defense.

New Orleans has the NFL’s 29th-ranked run defense and just two teams in the league have allowed more rushing scores. Also, they have surrendered more receiving yards to running backs than any team in the NFL, and for the season have given up the fourth-most fantasy points in the league to players at that position.

Projections:
Matt Ryan: 285 pass yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Steven Jackson: 60 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Roddy White: 90 rec yds, 1 TD
Julio Jones: 75 rec yds, 1 TD
Harry Douglas: 50 rec yds
Devin Hester: 35 rec yds
Levine Toilolo: 10 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Drew Brees threw for 375 yards and a trio of touchdowns last Monday night against Chicago, and it was the third time in four games he had at least three scoring passes. Maybe more importantly, Brees also re-established a rapport with tight end Jimmy Graham. Before last Monday, Graham had just 25 receiving yards in his last two games, but picked up 87 yards against the Bears. While the Falcons have been hard on tight ends this year, Graham did compile 82 yards (on eight catches) against them in Week 1, and fantasy owners should expect more of the same this week.

Atlanta has allowed more passing yards than any team in the NFL this season but is tied for fifth-fewest passing scores permitted. And though they have given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points in the league to tight ends, the Falcons have allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and are tied for fourth-most points allowed to wideouts.

Running Game Thoughts: The Saints finally got injured runners Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas back on the field, though Mark Ingram remains the team’s top ball-carrier. And for Ingram’s fantasy owners, that is a very good thing at least this week against Atlanta, who has allowed runners to waltz into the end zone all year.

The Falcons are 20th in the league against the run but no squad has surrendered more rushing scores. They’ve also permitted the third-most receiving yards by opposing backs, which all adds up to fantasy points galore. In fact, Atlanta has allowed more fantasy points to running backs this season than any other team in the NFL.

Projections:
Drew Brees: 310 pass yds, 2 TD
Mark Ingram: 85 rush yds, 2 TD
Pierre Thomas: 20 rush yds, 40 rec yds
Kenny Stills: 75 rec yds, 1 TD
Marques Colston: 60 rec yds
Nick Toon: 35 rec yds
Jimmy Graham: 90 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Saints 28, Falcons 21 ^ Top

Packers at Buccaneers - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: Something very odd happened last week in Buffalo, as Aaron Rodgers actually had a lousy game, throwing for 185 yards without a touchdown and two interceptions. It was the first time this season he failed to throw a touchdown and only the second time since Week 3 he didn’t throw at least two scores. Rodgers’ fantasy owners needn’t worry and neither should those with Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb, as all three should be starting for fantasy owners and plenty of production should be expected against the poor pass defense of Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers rank 24th in the NFL against the pass and are tied for 26th in passing touchdowns allowed. They rank in the middle of the league in terms of fantasy points given up to tight ends, but have surrendered the 11th-most points to quarterbacks and the sixth-most points to opposing wide receivers.

Running Game Thoughts: Lost amid the struggles last week of Rodgers was the fact that Eddie Lacy had nearly 100 rushing yards and a touchdown against Buffalo. Lacy has a rushing score in four of his last five games and has more than 95 rushing yards in three of his last four contests. He’s among the top fantasy point collectors at his position and remains a RB1 this week against the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay is 19th in the league against the run and tied for 21st in rushing scores given up. They’ve also allowed opposing backs to score five times via receptions, which is at least part of the reason why the team has surrendered the 10th-most fantasy points in the NFL to running backs.

Projections:
Aaron Rodgers: 270 pass yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Eddie Lacy: 85 rush yds, 1 TD, 25 rec yds
Jordy Nelson: 110 rec yds, 2 TD
Randall Cobb: 90 rec yds, 1 TD
Andrew Quarless: 35 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: There is little to like about the Tampa passing game but for rookie Mike Evans. Sure, Josh McCown seems to have gotten Vincent Jackson back into the flow a bit, but Jackson still has just a pair of touchdowns this year and none since Week 4. Evans, on the other hand, scored last week and has 11 touchdowns this season. He hasn’t been amassing many yards of late, but does have a very, very good match-up this week against the Packers.
Green Bay is 15th in the league in pass defense and tied for 18th in passing scores surrendered. They are 16th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks and a little better than that in points given up to tight ends, but the Packers have also allowed the ninth-most fantasy points in the NFL to wideouts, and only Philadelphia has allowed more touchdowns to players at that position.

Running Game Thoughts: Apparently, Doug Martin lives. At least, that’s what it seemed like last week when he actually went out and performed, with 96 rushing yards on 14 carries. It was the first time all year that Martin amassed at 60 yards on the ground, and just the second time he had at least 50 yards. But even with a favorable match-up this week, fantasy owners shouldn’t be placing any trust in Martin unless truly desperate.

The Packers are 26th in the NFL in run defense and 20th in rushing touchdowns allowed. Yet they’re also one of just nine teams to have allowed fewer than two receiving scores by running backs and are 17th in fantasy points allowed to players at that position.

Projections:
Josh McCown: 215 pass yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Doug Martin: 45 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Charles Sims: 25 rush yds, 30 rec yds
Vincent Jackson: 90 rec yds
Mike Evans: 65 rec yds, 2 TD
Luke Stocker: 10 rec yds

Prediction: Packers 31, Buccaneers 17 ^ Top

Eagles at Redskins - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: Taking advantage of the scheduling vacuum between the college football regular season and bowl season, the NFL will once again play regular season games on a Saturday; the first of which is this weekend. For Philadelphia this means they have one fewer day to brood over their loss in Week 15, almost certainly costing themselves the division title and quite possibly spoiling their hopes at even earning a Wildcard playoff berth. The loss marked the second time in as many weeks QB Mark Sanchez underwhelmed in the box score and on the field, gaining fewer than 100 yards in Week 14 and failing to find the endzone in the most recent contest. Despite his struggles he’s slated to start again on Saturday, with the man he replaced due to injury, QB Nick Foles (collarbone), still unable to return to action. After a promising start Sanchez has sputtered down the stretch and reverted to the days of making mistakes and costing his team a chance at victory. In seven games he’s just twice gone without an interception and has never recorded more than two touchdowns in a contest. Though he previously gained more than 300 yards through the air in three consecutive starts, in the last three he has just one game beyond 220 passing yards. The offensive downturn has affected the pass catchers as well, but none more than WR Jordan Matthews. Over the last two weeks he has just two catches and 26 yards to his name, lower production than any other stretch this season; even over a 60 minutes stretch that would be the second worst game of his young career. Even though WR Jeremy Maclin has 95 yards or a score in three straight games, his phenomenal upside has been noticeably limited by the struggles of the quarterback but as the biggest Eagles receiving threat he still figures to have the stats to justify a start in the fantasy playoffs.

Whatever post-season hope still exists now feebly balances on the shoulders of QB Mark Sanchez, who in three starts against playoff-bound teams earned one win and has thrown five touchdowns with five interceptions. Thankfully for him the Redskins were officially eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago, and even before that they were a team already limping toward the finish. Winless in six contests, Washington has held just one opponent below 24 points during their skid, and has conceded 14 touchdowns with forcing just two interceptions since the last time they won. Though they allow only 238 passing yards per game, their touchdown-to-interception ratio is by far the worst in the league, and only two teams yield more yards per pass attempt. Saturday will be the first time for the defense to face Sanchez, who is no better and arguably worse, than the quarterback who shredded Washington for 325 yards and three touchdowns without giving up a sack, interception, or fumble. In their most recent contest the Redskins also allowed three aerial scores without forcing a turnover from the quarterback, so the only hope they have is for Sanchez to fail to bound back and find at least a comfortable mediocrity in which to settle. Since Philadelphia still has a top seven passing attack it is possible for a shootout to erupt this weekend, but the chances of that are limited by the lack of offensive mastery which the backup quarterback has exhibited since becoming the starter.

Running Game Thoughts: Last week it felt like the fantasy universe was about to implode after Philadelphia rushed for three touchdowns, but none of them were scored by star RB LeSean McCoy. Instead, RBs Darren Sproles (one) and Chris Polk (two) were called upon to get into the endzone from less than five yards away, including a pair of one-yard scoring carries. The top-three fantasy draft pick currently ranks outside of the top 12 at his position, behind four players who were either in time-share situations or were no better than second on their team’s depth chart at the beginning of the season. For all of the apparent shortcomings, McCoy is on pace to have nearly as many touches as he did last season, so his efficiency and not his usage is far more to blame for the disappointment. On the ground the Eagles are in the top eight for both yards and scores, but aren’t even in the top half in terms of rushing efficiency, barely hitting 4.1 yards per carry as a team. To his credit, McCoy also has a personal mark of 4.1 per carry, but has found the endzone only four times of the total 14 recorded by Philadelphia ball carriers. If fantasy owners have stuck with him this far it’ll be hard to turn away from him now, but considering the investment it took to land McCoy there won’t be many people happy with how his season has turned out.

The discontent of McCoy owners may continue for another week as the Redskins will look to bottle him up for the second time this season. In their Week 3 matchup the stud running back was held to 22 yards on 19 carries, marking the only time all season he had more than 12 touches and failed to gain at least 50 yards. In the five weeks since their bye Washington has allowed just 3.4 yards per carry, helping them improve to the seventh best run defense in the league in terms of yards, and no worse than ninth in any major rushing category. Despite losing every game since their bye in Week 10, no ball carrier has gained 90 yards against Washington and all but two have been held below 50. The Redskins haven’t allowed a rushing score in two straight contests, so even if McCoy is given opportunities near the goal line it’s possible that he still might not be able to hit pay dirt. A stifling performance earlier in the season and a recent string of impressive games for Washington all suggest that McCoy may be in for yet another disappointing fantasy performance.

Projections:
Mark Sanchez: 245 pass yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
LeSean McCoy: 70 rush yds
Darren Sproles: 10 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Jeremy Maclin: 80 rec yds, 1 TD
Jordan Matthews: 35 rec yds
Zach Ertz: 20 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: The ongoing saga of QB Robert Griffin III and Coach Jay Gruden will be temporarily pacified for at least this week. With QB Colt McCoy (neck) pulled from the Week 14 contest after re-aggravating the injury that jeopardized his availability in the first place, the Redskins have elected to continue to with QB Robert Griffin III under center for at least the time being. In a press conference Tuesday, Gruden left the door open for backup QB Kirk Cousins to potentially see playing time before the end of the season, but beyond that uncertainty he offered minimal insight. In playing most of the game last week, Griffin took seven sacks, and to most viewers appeared to take his time getting up after several of those hits. The revolving door of Redskins quarterbacks has still been able to put together a top ten passing ranking, but the inconsistencies have held them to the sixth lowest touchdown total through the air. Explosive plays have salvaged an otherwise dreadful aerial display, with Washington having the fourth highest mark for yards per attempt. The principle reason for this efficiency is WR DeSean Jackson, whose 19.1 yards per reception is the best in the league, and his 13 plays of 20 or more receiving yards is equal to the total of the next two most explosive wide receivers. Even though he is clearly the pass catcher to own in Washington, fantasy owners should be aware that Jackson has played in six games with Griffin at quarterback, and only once has he caught a touchdown pass or gained at least 65 yards.

Adding to the drama already present on the Washington sideline, Jackson will be facing his former team for the second time this weekend, and yet again he has found himself at the center of bulletin board material coming from both teams. In their previous matchup he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Cousins, relying almost entirely on speed and poor defensive coverage, and beyond that was held to four receptions on 10 targets for 36 yards. On Saturday it will be Griffin under center, who on the season has been significantly more conservative with his passes, favoring shorter and safer routes rather than taking shots deep down the field. The Eagles may be concerned that CB Bradley Fletcher will be targeted again this week after being beaten for three scores in Week 14, but the man responsible for all of those catches is a big and physical receiver; Jackson is neither of those things. As a bottom five defense Philadelphia hasn’t been good against the pass often this season, but with Griffin returning to the starting role they may find reprieve this weekend; he’s not thrown more than one touchdown pass in any game this season, and despite completing at least two-thirds of his passes in five of his seven appearances he has yet to reach 270 yards through the air.

Running Game Thoughts: In what felt like it was a microcosm of the Redskins season, last Sunday a scoring review overturned a touchdown call that was originally deemed worthy following an eight-yard scramble and dive for the pylon by QB Robert Griffin III. Yet to score with his legs in seven appearances (four complete games) this year, Griffin has looked hesitant as a runner whereas in his first two seasons it was his duel threat abilities which made him so valuable. Had it stood that touchdown would have been the first for Griffin as a runner since Week 17 of his rookie 2012 season. He has gotten more conservative as a ball carrier over time, which was to be expected, but there have been many times this year where Griffin has presented no real threat to the defense with his feet. Between these tendencies and his previous absences due to injury, the Washington ground game has suffered; they are ranked as the 20th rushing offense and are one of only three teams to not have recorded a single run of longer than 30 yards. The bulk of the running game has been handled by RB Alfred Morris who averages 68 rushing yards per game despite recording a total of 66 yards from scrimmage in his last two contests combined. He has averaged fewer than four yards per carry in each of his last three games while also not finding the endzone, making that the second such streak this season.

Like the rest of the Redskins offense the running game has been inconsistent, and the player on the team with the most total touches of any kind is not immune to the ups and downs this season has brought them. It would be hard to imagine the offense being much worse than they’ve been recently, but it’s also not reasonable to expect them to be much better in any single area, meaning the Eagles defense should be able to contain the often uninspiring Washington attack on both the ground and through the air. In facing top three rushing attacks in each of the last three weeks, Philadelphia has yielded just 3.5 yards per carry, at least a full yard less than their opponent has averaged over the course of the season. With the Redskins picking up 4.3 yards per carry, a similar performance from the Eagles would allow the offense right around three yards per attempt. Though that stifling of a run defense isn’t a to be expected, since Washington averages fewer than 25 carries per game they’ll be hard pressed to improve on their season mark of 106 yards per contest regardless of how well the Eagles play defense.

Projections:
Robert Griffin III: 220 pass yds, 35 rush yds, 1 INT
Alfred Morris: 65 rush yds, 10 rec yds, 1 TD
Roy Helu: 10 rush yds, 15 rec yds
DeSean Jackson: 50 rec yds
Pierre Garcon: 65 rec yds
Jordan Reed: 25 rec yds

Prediction: Eagles 23, Redskins 10 ^ Top

Vikings at Dolphins - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: Of all the games being played this weekend that have direct playoff implications, this is not one of them. Even in the world of fantasy football playoffs, few if any significant contributions are expected to emerge from this Week 16 gem. For rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater though, this game is another on the path to his development as an NFL signal caller, and potentially on his ascension as the face of the Vikings franchise. In 12 starts this season the young quarterback has thrown for 300 yards on three occasions, including back to back performances in the last two weeks. He’s also completed 70% or more of his passes thrice, all of which have occurred consecutively in the most recent games of the season. After a dreadful start which included zero touchdowns in three games and a contest with a trio of interceptions, Bridgewater has thrown for 11 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions over the last eight weeks. Though none of the statistics are spectacular by themselves, in combination they show the development of a young quarterback who may be growing into a legitimate NFL starter. When viewed against the backdrop of the rest of the league, he doesn’t even crack the top 20 for fantasy rankings at his position, and as a passing offense Minnesota ranks above just five other teams. The only Vikings player worth considering in redraft leagues is WR Greg Jennings, with 38 yards or better in four straight contests and three receiving touchdowns during that time. He’s proven to be a trusted target in the scoring area, which gives him value for several desperate fantasy owners.

Few teams are as stifling against the pass as are the Dolphins; by yielding just 209 yards through the air per game and a measly 6.4 yards per attempt, they rank in the top four for both categories. In the areas of touchdowns allowed, interceptions forced, sacks recorded, and opponent completion percentage, Miami is no worse than average, so even their weaknesses aren’t particularly exploitable. The Dolphins have lost four of their last six games to drop to 7-7 on the year, and have faced three Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in those four losses. None of that trio threw for 290 yards, two threw interceptions, and only one scored more than a pair of touchdowns. The Dolphins recorded only two total sacks against those three signal callers, significantly below their season average of more than two per game. Miami is successful against the pass when they can disrupt the line of scrimmage, force incompletions, and capitalize on mistakes made by the quarterbacks. With an understandable lack of experience and the fourth worst offensive line in the league, Bridgewater is likely to more than have his hands full against Miami on Sunday.

Running Game Thoughts: Rookie quarterbacks are greatly aided by a powerful running game, but unfortunately for Bridgewater he’s not been blessed with such an offensive counterweight. Despite Minnesota averaging 112 rushing yards, no individual ball carrier consistently records more than 49 yards per contest, and Bridgewater himself adds nearly 20 to the team total each game. Between injuries and futility no Vikings running back has recorded even 540 rushing yards this year, and unless RB Matt Asiata is allowed to dominate backfield touches and the team decides to enhance their focus on the rushing attack, it’s not guaranteed that he’ll reach that mark either. Although the team acquired Ben Tate several weeks ago, he’s seen no more than 13 snaps in any single game, making him ever-so-slightly useful on the field and virtually useless to fantasy owners. With no legitimate speed back and a struggling offensive line, the stats may suggest otherwise but the Vikings have one of the worst rushing offenses in the league.

It doesn’t take much to challenge the Minnesota running game, and thanks to those low standards the Dolphins run defense should be up to that task. Allowing 122 yards per game on the ground, Miami narrowly escapes the bottom ten, and their mark of 4.4 yards per carry puts them squarely inside the bottom quarter of the league. The only aspect of the Dolphins run defense which is optimistically mediocre is their apparent ability to keep opponents out of the endzone, where they are tied for 15th fewest scores allowed on the ground. Their downfall in recent weeks has been run defense, but with one of the worst rushing attacks coming to town there is reason for Miami to believe they’ve been graced with an opponent who may actually be able to make the Dolphins look impressive.

Projections:
Teddy Bridgewater: 225 pass yds, 30 rush yds, 1 INT
Matt Asiata: 45 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Ben Tate: 10 rush yds
Greg Jennings: 40 rec yds
Charles Johnson: 55 rec yds
Kyle Rudolph: 30 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: After an impressive explosion in the middle of the season QB Ryan Tannehill has since cooled dramatically, recording more interceptions than touchdowns over the last three games. As a team the aerial attack has primarily been less than impressive, ranking 20th through the air and landing just above average for touchdowns thrown. One of the most telling statistics about the Dolphins passing game is their sixth worst mark for yards gained per attempt, despite Tannehill having the seventh highest completion percentage. Though he may be connecting on the majority of their passes, Miami isn’t able to push the ball down the field and presents very little in the way of a deep receiving threat. The closest they have is speedy WR Mike Wallace, but an apparent inability of him and Tannehill to get on the same page has largely limited the long passing game. Last week was a rare occurrence for the duo, with Tannehill and Wallace twice connecting for more than 30 yards. The continued growth of WR Jarvis Landry has afforded Wallace better opportunities to beat coverage, but prior to Week 15 he had yet to truly take advantage. From a fantasy perspective Wallace is nearly touchdown-dependent, Landry tends to record enough yardage to gamble on his ability to find the endzone, and Tannehill is effective enough with his feet to usually make up for some of the shortcomings he’s experienced recently as a passer. However, none are consistent enough to count on in the fantasy playoffs.

One of the most overlooked units in football may be the Vikings pass defense. They rank sixth in yards allowed per game and are tied for the sixth most sacks recorded this season. While they’re not without flaws, they rank near or better than average in the remaining categories, and have helped to put their rookie quarterback in situations where he doesn’t have to play beyond himself. Their performances as a defense have, for at least one more week, preserved the possibility of an 8-8 season, which would make it only the second time in five years they didn’t finish with a losing record. One area where they would like to improve is in touchdowns allowed, as they’re currently riding a 12-game skid for conceding at least one score through the air. While it should increase the competitiveness of the contest, the offensive and defensive counterparts in the passing game don’t seem to have an obvious weakness where the other exhibits a position if strength. Look for Tannehill and the Miami offense to continue to stew in their recent mediocrity, and for the Vikings defense to do little to force them too far in either direction away from average.

Running Game Thoughts: Even though Miami ball carriers have struggled in the ground attack all year, usually the Dolphins gave enough carries to enough players to piece together a reasonable rushing effort. On the season they have averaged 113 yards per game as a team, but no individual averages 60 or better. The leader of the Dolphins backfield is RB Lamar Miller, who has earned 51% of team touches and gained 52% of the yards. Aside from Tannehill whose scrambles understandably earn more yards per attempt, the remaining Miami ball carriers also have an approximately equal proportion of touches and yards. This trend suggests that all of the Dolphins running backs, at least within reasonable rounding error, are essentially equal aside for the number of attempts they are given. This is important because RB Daniel Thomas has yet to practice this week, meaning that rookie RB Damien Williams will be in line for an increased role as the primary backup to Miller. In the last six games Miami ball carriers have recorded just three rushing touchdowns, and none have been scored in the two most recent contests, so without Miller receiving the vast majority of the backfield workload there is limited potential for any Dolphins running back to significantly contribute to fantasy scores this weekend.

The saving grace for Miller and the Miami running game is that the Vikings are one of the worst when it comes to defending against the run. Minnesota ranks in the bottom ten for yards allowed per game and per carry, and they’re barely better than average for surrendering rushing scores. That being said, they have not allowed a touchdown on the ground in three straight contests, so they may be tightening up just in time to continue the Dolphins recent rushing misery. The offensive style of Miami looks to quickly take advantage of space, either through quick passes, downhill runs, or even read-options plays with Tannehill. If the Vikings are able to adequately fill passing lanes they may be able to force the offense to become one dimensional, and in that case it’s possible that they hold Miami to a reasonable rushing total as well as keeping them out of the endzone. Conversely, mismatches or poor coverage could lead to consistent gains through the air or on the ground, potentially setting Miller up with numerous carries out of the backfield and several opportunities to challenge for the goal line.

Projections:
Ryan Tannehill: 200 pass yds, 25 rush yds, 1 TD
Lamar Miller: 75 rush yds, 20 rec yds
Damien Williams: 20 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Mike Wallace: 35 rec yds
Jarvis Landry: 60 rec yds
Charles Clay: 30 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Dolphins 16, Vikings 6 ^ Top

Patriots at Jets - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: Now that the battle for the AFC East is officially finished, New England has their eyes set on the number one overall seed for the playoffs. With a tiebreaker in hand they only need to win out against divisional rivals to secure home field advantage. Like so many other years the Patriots are peaking at the right time, playing the best football in the league since the beginning of October. They’re leading the way with the highest scoring offense since these two teams last met in Week 7 and also have recorded the third most total offensive yards during that time. Though he is the leader of the offense, on paper QB Tom Brady has been almost pedestrian over the last five games. He’s thrown exactly two touchdowns in each contest and gained at least 245 yards through the air, but with five interceptions during that time he’s not demonstrating the accuracy and decision making which has come to be expected of him. By comparison, in the previous five games Brady threw 18 touchdowns and only one interception with a low yardage of 261. The latest modest totals from the quarterback still allow TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Julian Edelman (concussion, Probable) to contribute through the air, with each player gaining at least 85 yards and a score in each of the last two contests. The downturn from Brady has most affected WR Brandon LaFell; as the third leading pass catcher on the team a decrease in attempts and yardage almost necessarily comes out of his opportunities.

Regardless of how the teams matchup on paper, over the last five meetings the game has been decided by three or fewer points on all but one occasion. If the Jets hope to be able to keep the game close, or even pull off a stunning upset victory, one area they have to improve is pass defense. In their Week 7 encounter, New York held Brady to a respectable 261 passing yards, but only recorded one sack while also allowing three touchdowns and not forcing a turnover of any kind. Little of substance has changed on either side of the ball, at least with regards to the passing game, and other than this contest being played in East Rutherford there should be little difference between this and the previous game. One of the reasons Brady is so good leading the offense through the air is because New England tends to have an effective run game as well, which of course opens up the play action passing game, the area of the game where the Patriots can do the most damage. The best chance New York has at containing Brady is by limiting the rushing attack and forcing the offense to be one dimensional. This plan carries great risk however, because the Jets are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to keeping opponents out of the endzone on passing plays, something at which New England is ranked in the top four.

Running Game Thoughts: Though it didn’t result in a score, last week’s 17-yard run from Brady did result in a great deal of excitement on and off the field. The rare lengthy scramble also seemed to kick start an offense which largely sputtered up through that point of the contest, nearly 34 minutes of game time. Even with the 17 from Brady, New England still didn’t hit their season average of 109 rushing yards; they’ve not been above average with that respect for four consecutive weeks, approximately the same time frame in which Brady has been at or below par as a passer. Despite RB LeGarrette seemingly assuming the lead back role after being acquired in Week 12, most recently RB Jonas Gray was given the majority of the backfield work. Beyond potential performance differences in games or in practice, one possible explanation for his unexpected workload increase would be the “revenge factor” of Gray previously being on the practice squad of the team New England played last week. That marked the first time in three weeks Gray earned more than two touches in the same game, however Blount was still involved in about a third of the planned running plays. With the Patriots struggling to establish a rushing attack neither Blount or Gray are solid fantasy plays, and with the potential for a committee situation developing their prospects are even worse; Blount is likely still the back to own, but without any clarification before game time both should be kept on the bench until further notice.

Squaring off against the Jets defensive front is another spectacular reason to bury the New England ball carriers at the end of the fantasy bench. The New York run defense allows just 87 rushing yards per game and a miniscule 3.5 per carry; both marks are in the top four, and with five touchdowns surrendered from 14 games, the Jets are in the top five of the league for scores allowed as well. The last time these teams played no Patriots ball carrier gained more than 43 yards and as a team they didn’t even reach 65 on the ground. In that contest RB Shane Vereen was given primary backfield duties, but with the emergence of Gray and the presence of Blount it is most probable that he’ll be used primarily as a receiver out of the backfield. The key to beating New England is to shut down the running game and force Brady to rely solely on his receivers. More often than not the Patriots signal caller is up to the task, but any stumbles or missteps can potentially provide the opportunity needed for New York to take advantage and try to find a way to prevent Brady and company from completing the season sweep.

Projections:
Tom Brady: 275 pass yds, 3 TDs
LeGarrette Blount: 35 rush yds, 5 rec yds
Shane Vereen: 5 rush yds, 20 rec yds
Julian Edelman: 55 rec yds, 1 TD
Brandon LaFell: 45 rec yds
Rob Gronkowski: 80 yds rec, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Even in victory last week fans of the Jets were unhappy, seemingly because they value a perspective draft pick above getting back into the win column. Not everyone reacted this way, but those reacting the loudest were certainly not happy to move further away from a potential number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. For at least the remainder of this year QB Geno Smith will be the signal caller for New York, and despite improved performances in the past weeks they are still the worst rated passing attack in the league, gaining nearly 25 fewer yards per game than the next worst squad. A lack of top end receiving talent is just one of the many issues, and with WR Percy Harvin (ankle) Questionable for this weekend their prospects are even less uplifting. He did participate in Thursday so there’s at least optimism that he may be available, but as a player who relies on both speed and agility, lower leg injuries can significantly reduce his ability to have a positive impact on the game. With two total receiving touchdowns in the four games that Smith has played in since being benched, no Jets pass catcher is worth the risk in the fantasy playoffs, and the young quarterback should be almost universally un-owned in all leagues.

Not only has Smith struggled to even get on the field until recently, but against New England his futility has been even more obvious. In three career matchups Smith has four interceptions and only two touchdowns to his credit, though to his credit he has been less bad in each subsequent meeting. As a team New England has been somewhat permissive through the air, but they tend to make up for it with sacks and interceptions at opportune times. Although they concede almost 250 passing yards per game and have allowed 22 scores through the air in 14 games, both worse than average, they are in the top ten for sacks recorded, interceptions forced, and completion percentage allowed. Efficient passing attacks have been able to find reasonable success against the Patriots; in their three losses opponents have combined for seven passing touchdowns, one interception, and six sacks surrendered, significantly better than how others have fared in defeat. If Smith can protect the football and the Jets are able to limit what they ask of him that may prevent the Patriots from taking advantage of their abilities to make plays, ultimately allowing New York to keep the game close.

Running Game Thoughts: Ranked second in both productivity and efficiency, the New York rushing attack is in stark contrast to their passing game. Although it was most notable in a 13-pass attempt performance in Week 13, the Jets have leaned heavily on their run game whenever possible. At nearly a 1:1 ratio of runs to passes, only two teams proportionately favor the ground game than New York, and only one of them has a winning record. The “ground and pound” philosophy has been necessitated by the lack of available talent in the passing game, but few team who employ such a strategy will ever truly find success with it in today’s pass-heavy NFL. For fantasy football players however, minimal attention being paid to the aerial attack significantly increases the value of Jets ball carriers. Even this is a double edged sword though, as numerous running backs are required to achieve the type of production New York gets out of their rushing attack. Two ball carriers have earned at least 135 attempts, the quarterbacks have combined for nearly 80 touches of their own, and in seven appearances with the team Harvin has carried the ball 20 times also. Neither Chris Johnson or Chris Ivory rank in the top 15 at their position, and together the duo has recorded just three games with yardage in the triple digits. Barring an injury to one or the other, the nearly-equal division of labor ensures that no New York ball carrier has a statistically impressive day, capping the fantasy value of the entire team.

Even though Ivory has previously found success against New England, the presence of Johnson means that he won’t be given as many opportunities to carry the ball and physically wear down tacklers. The speed of the Patriots, especially on the edge, should limit the ability of Johnson to do what he does best as a ball carrier. On paper, even if only because of how New York figures to dilute their own potential, the Patriots should be able to limit the rushing attack as well as dominating the passing game. For the season, New England has been a top ten team against the run, allowing 104 yards per game. Although they yield 4.1 yards per carry they are still better than the league average, and with only five rushing touchdowns conceded this season they have the second best mark in the NFL. Regardless of how the statistics stack up, these two rivals have played each other very close over the past three seasons, and without a dramatic failure in one or more areas, a close game is yet again the expectation.

Projections:
Geno Smith: 170 pass yds, 15 rush yds 1 TD, 1 INT
Chris Johnson: 60 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Chris Ivory: 45 rush yds, 1 TD
Eric Decker: 55 rec yds
Percy Harvin: 20 rec yds, 15 rush yds
Jace Amaro: 25 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Patriots 24, Jets 17 ^ Top

Colts at Cowboys - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: Other than for pride and practice, Indianapolis may find themselves taking it easy during the last two weeks of the season. Having secured the AFC South title they’re already in the playoffs, and with nothing more than a statistical possibility at earning a first round bye, the league’s top passing attack has nothing to gain even if they win out. Considering the importance of QB Andrew Luck and the ever-present possibility of injuries to star players, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see any number of high profile Colts play less than 60 minutes in either of the remaining contests. Last week veteran WR Reggie Wayne became the all-time franchise leader in wins and for games played, so even personally there is minimal upside to playing a full game before the playoffs start. His counterpart WR T.Y. Hilton (hamstring, Questionable) has missed practice this week, and the safe bet is for Indianapolis to hold him out so he’s fully healthy for the playoffs. At full strength the Colts lead the league in passing yards and in touchdowns thrown, so even if Luck and company only play several offensive series they can still contribute to fantasy rosters. Their potential to post huge numbers likely outweighs the possibility that Luck and company may not play a full game, but the health status of Hilton needs to be monitored Sunday because as of right now his chances of suiting up seem incredibly slim.

Any feelings of content from the Colts will not be met by Dallas, who seemingly has everything to play for in the closing weeks of the regular season. Currently sitting in third for playoff standings, the Cowboys can earn a first round bye if they win out and get a little help from other teams, potentially moving them into the top overall seed. In the event they slip up though, Dallas could find themselves missing the playoffs despite earning 11 wins for the first time since 2009. Defensively against the pass Dallas is striving for mediocrity, very near or below average in every major category. A matchup with the high powered Colts could be the undoing of their season, but between the possibility that Hilton may be held out and other star players may have their snaps limited, there is reason to think that the Cowboys defense may not be entirely overwhelmed this weekend. Luck will be the best quarterback Dallas has faced this season, and is one of no more than three who could be considered in the upper echelons at that position. In the event he plays a full game and is looking to air raid the Cowboys secondary, they will have no prior experience on which to draw as they try to slow down the league’s most prolific passer.

Running Game Thoughts: For those fantasy owners who picked up RB Trent Richardson following the starter being placed on Injured Reserve, the development of RB Daniel Herron has been particularly infuriating. As a franchise Indianapolis invested heavily in the former first round pick, suggesting that he would be used frequently and thus worth of starting in most fantasy leagues. Reality has been quite harsh to Richardson, where seemingly at every turn he is being out-produced by someone supposed to be his backup. Because the Colts spent so much to acquire him he continues to be given touches, ultimately decreasing the fantasy value of the more productive ball carriers around him. No amount of logic will keep Indianapolis from splitting the workload between Richardson and someone more productive, who in this case happens to be RB Daniel Herron. Still listed as the backup, Herron has outgained Richardson in each of the last four games, and averages 5.1 yards be carry compared to just 3.4 for the starter. Regardless of the turmoil in the backfield, perhaps the most impactful ball carrier is actually the quarterback, whose 19 yards per game are the difference between Indianapolis being slightly below average and them falling easily inside the bottom quarter of rushing rankings.

Any hope of Richardson or Herron having an impact on the box score will come down to them finding the endzone; against Dallas this feat is easier than most. The Cowboys have surrendered 17 rushing touchdowns in 14 games this year, the second most in the league. Although they average 110 yards against per game, right at the midpoint for NFL defenses, Dallas yields 4.3 yards per touch, barely escaping the bottom ten for that category. Since their bye in Week 11 the Cowboys have held three opponents under 90 rushing yards, and individual ball carriers in those games to less than 65 yards. In the other contest the team exploded for 256 on the ground, with 159 going to one player; in those four games Dallas has conceded eight rushing touchdowns. The Indianapolis backfield timeshare may combine for an impressive day, but without hitting pay dirt it is unlikely an individual runner to be worthy of a fantasy start in the championship games for most leagues.

Projections:
Andrew Luck: 300 pass yds, 20 rush yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Dan Herron: 55 rush yds, 10 rec yds, 1 TD
Trent Richardson: 30 rush yds
Reggie Wayne: 60 rec yds, 1 TD
Donte Moncrief: 85 rec yds, 1 TD
Coby Fleener: 50 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Regardless of how the Dallas defense may play this week, the team claiming victory will have to come courtesy of the offense. Despite a 16th ranked passing game on the basis of yardage, the Cowboys are sixth in passing touchdowns and have the eighth lowest mark for interceptions thrown. QB Tony Romo has the second highest completion rate in the league, which is even more impressive considering that Dallas has the second highest mark for yards gained per attempt. Last week WR Dez Bryant found the endzone three times, bringing his season total to a league-high 13. Behind Bryant there are four players with more than 330 receiving yards on the year, though none have more than 565, suggesting that the Dallas passing game really is Bryant and then everybody else. In recent weeks the most consistent of the trailing four has been WR Cole Beasley, with at least 40 receiving yards in four straight contests and three scores during that time. Behind him, TE Jason Witten has become more fantasy-relevant and WR Terrance Williams has all but disappeared from the box score. Without an abundance of yards to go around most Cowboys pass catchers are close to being touchdown-dependent, and with most of the scores going to Bryant it’s hard to justify starting any of the other receivers; Witten only deserves a start because of the position he plays.

Frequently last week Romo found Bryant against tight man coverage and exploited the matchup he presents as a big, physical pass catcher. All three of the scores came against the same cornerback, and after cleanly getting off the line of scrimmage there seemed to be little else for Bryant to do other than easily get both hands on the ball and bring it in. While Vontae Davis is a stud, Indianapolis isn’t known for having corners who can physically impose their will on receivers, so if anything can be learned from watching film it’s unlikely that the Colts will try to press Bryant and not provide immediate help from a nearby safety. Through 14 games Indianapolis has largely oscillated between mediocrity and inconsistency; they rank between 10th and 19th in each of yards allowed per game, touchdowns surrendered, interceptions forced, yards conceded per pass attempt, and sacks recorded. Only in one area, completion percentage, do they rank in the single digits, but they’ve also faced some of the worst passing teams in the league so this stat is hardly remarkable. The greatest hope for the Colts is that Dallas once again struggles at home, but if Romo and Bryant are on the same page it will be nearly impossible to stop the aerial attack.

Running Game Thoughts: Not since Lorena Bobbitt and her husband were in the news has so much attention been paid to one man’s body part. RB DeMarco Murray (hand) had surgery on Monday to repair a fracture in his non-dominant hand. All week the Cowboys have made overtures that Murray will not miss any game time, but history suggests that at least one week will be needed to get him back on the field. He fractured one of the long bones in the middle of his hand, so dexterity is not expected to be an issue even with a brace, but pass blocking will all together be another story. The forces present in pass protection are channeled through the long bones of the hand when contact is made, making it potentially unbearably painful. If that is the case, the presence of Murray on the field would suggest either a quick pass where he doesn’t have to block, or a running play. In either instance the defense could key on that and Dallas would lose whatever advantage that would be gained from unpredictable play calling. Though no announcement has been made, it is expected that RBs Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar would both receive carries, with Randle probably having the higher upside from a fantasy perspective. Any announcements made before game time will be critical for making lineup decisions.

Regardless of what ball carriers are or aren’t involved in the game, Indianapolis will still have to contend with the Cowboys offensive line; though Murray has received all of the accolades for his rushing achievements this season it is arguably the O-line which is most responsible for his perceived greatness. On the season Randle actually averages more yards per carry than Murray, but this may be skewed by a relatively small sample size of 34 attempts. On defense the Colts very nearly resemble their counterpart in this game, with an elevated number of scores allowed and yards gained per attempt despite a perfectly average yardage total over the course of the game. Indianapolis has generally been able to mask a subpar run defense with a stellar passing offense, forcing opponents to throw the ball against the Colts rather than take advantage of their deficiencies on the ground. Assuming that the strength of Dallas actually lies with the offensive line and not the star running back, the rushing attack may actually benefit from a relative timeshare situation as it allows both ball carriers to be fresh as they attack the line of scrimmage. The last time Indianapolis faced a team with a strong running game that also had a dominant presence through the air, the defense gave up four rushing and two receiving touchdowns.

Projections:
Tony Romo: 240 pass yds, 3 TDs
Joseph Randle: 90 rush yds, 1 TD
Lance Dunbar: 50 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Dez Bryant: 85 rec yds, 2 TDs
Cole Beasley: 40 rec yds
Jason Witten: 65 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Cowboys 34, Colts 24 ^ Top

Chargers @ 49ers - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Things started off strong this season for Philip Rivers. So well in fact, that many opined about his potential as a league MVP candidate. But in the second half of the season, things have fallen apart for Rivers and this San Diego passing game. Rivers threw for multiple touchdowns in seven of his eight games while throwing for 250-plus yards in six of those eight contests. Since that point, Rivers has thrown for over 250 yards in just two of six games and has only thrown for multiple touchdowns in one contest. In the process, he has gone from being a borderline top five fantasy quarterback to someone who is almost unstartable in most formats. The most frustrating thing about the San Diego passing game, is those who have been relying on Rivers' receivers. While each one of them has shown up from time to time, there has been practically zero consistency. Tight end Antonio Gates has been a startable fantasy option but that's really only because there are so few players producing numbers at that position this season. Malcom Floyd, Eddie Royal and Keenan Allen have been almost impossible to start due to their rollercoaster-like fantasy point totals. Now with Allen on the sidelines with a broken collarbone, the other receivers should all get targeted more, but that won't likely make Floyd or Royal a player that should be trusted in most formats, especially in an incredibly tough matchup against the 49ers here in Week 16.

San Francisco has been excellent against the pass all year long and they currently rank fourth in the league in fewest fantasy points per game given up to opposing quarterbacks. They've held opposing quarterbacks to one or zero touchdowns in nine of their 14 games this season and four of their past five contests. San Francisco may be out of playoff contention, but their defense doesn't appear to have received the memo. Look elsewhere for your fantasy team if you can.

Running Game Thoughts: With Ryan Mathews unable to play this past Sunday in an important inner-division game against the Broncos, the Chargers again turned to the combination of Donald Brown and Branden Oliver. The two backs rushed for a total of just 44 yards on the day with neither player getting into the end zone as the Chargers fell victim to one of the best teams in the league. Although Brown and Oliver combined for 82 receiving yards, it wasn't enough to make either one of them particularly enticing from a fantasy standpoint. Now in a another tough matchup in Week 16, the Chargers could again be without their starting tailback, Mathews, who has missed practice throughout the week with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable heading into Sunday's game. If Mathews is unable to play, look for San Diego to primarily turn to Oliver to take the role as the lead back with Brown being utilized sparingly.

No matter who touches the ball, though, the Chargers will not have an easy time running the football against a San Francisco defense that continues to be dominant. While they've been better against the pass than they have the run this season, they're still no slouches at stopping the ground game. They've conceded just two rushing touchdowns over their past seven contests and no team's running backs have exceeded 130 yards rushing against them in a single game. If Mathews is unable to play, Oliver could end up being a solid Flex option especially in PPR formats, but if Mathews does play, this backfield should not be trusted at all.

Projections:
Philip Rivers: 245 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Branden Oliver: 50 rush yds, 45 rec yds
Donald Brown: 25 rush yds, 30 rec yds
Malcom Floyd: 60 rec yds
Eddie Royal: 50 rec yds
Antonio Gates: 50 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: An incredibly disappointing season by the San Francisco 49ers has led to major questions for the franchise going forward. One of the biggest questions has to do with the quarterback position as Colin Kaepernick has been one of the least effective passers in the league this season. Kaepernick took over for Alex Smith a few seasons ago and has certainly had moments where he looked like a potentially elite player, but 2014 has been a lost season for the young QB. From an NFL standpoint, a 16-to-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio isn't great, but it's certainly not as bad as other players. Unfortunately, from a fantasy standpoint, his numbers have been nothing short of awful. Following another pathetic effort in Week 15 against the Seahawks, Kaepernick has now fallen all the way to 25th in fantasy points per game at the quarterback position. It's very clear that he is no longer a viable starter in standard leagues and it's getting to the point that he's barely startable in two QB leagues. With Kaepernick's struggles, it's not particularly surprising to see that his receivers have been incredibly disappointing this season, but especially lately. Wideout Anquan Boldin had been the biggest contributor in the passing game through the first 11 games of the season, but has not been producing the numbers that fantasy owners expect as of late. Boldin has just nine catches for 95 yards and no touchdowns over his past three games. Every other receiver on the roster has been every bit as bad, making none of the other players a realistic player to consider as they go up against a San Diego Chargers defense that has been surprisingly effective against opposing quarterbacks, particularly as of late.

Over their past five contests, the Chargers have given up just six total passing touchdowns and an average just 229 passing yards per game...and that includes games against Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. San Diego wouldn't normally be considered a tough defense to pass against, but for the 49ers' ineffective offense, this is simply not the time to start trusting them for fantasy production.

Running Game Thoughts: A veteran tailback who could stake his claim in Canton someday, Frank Gore is very clearly slowing down. Gore's 29 yards on the ground against the Seahawks in Week 15 were not even the fewest he's had in a game this season. In fact, he's been under 40 yards rushing in six of his 14 games. With only four total touchdowns and a complete lack of usage in the passing game, Gore has simply not been a player worth considering for fantasy throughout most of the year. With the 49ers now out of playoff contention, it would be likely to see the team give more opportunities to Carlos Hyde, the young rookie tailback who figures to be the back of the future for the franchise. Sadly, Hyde injured his back and ankle last week and isn’t expected to play.

Gore and perhaps Alfonso Smith will be up against a San Diego defense that ranks 12th in fewest fantasy points per game given up to opposing running backs on the year. Worse yet, the Chargers have been excellent against the position lately, having not given up a single rushing touchdown since Week 9. While San Diego has struggled a bit to contain opposing running backs in the passing game, San Francisco has almost completely abandoned throwing the ball to their running backs this season. Gore and Hyde have just 21 total receptions between them and it doesn't seem likely that they will suddenly overhaul their offensive gameplan for a game that is essentially meaningless. Gore (concussion) is only a low-end RB2 this week, as he has been throughout the majority of the season, as his only real upside lies in a goal line touchdown.

Projections:
Colin Kaepernick: 195 pass yds, 1 TD, 25 rush yds
Frank Gore: 50 rush yds
Alfonso Smith: 30 rush yds
Anquan Boldin: 60 rec yds, 1 TD
Michael Crabtree: 45 rec yds
Vernon Davis: 30 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Chargers 16, 49ers 13 ^ Top

Giants @ Rams - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: It's a lost season for the New York Giants, but don't tell quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. who seem to be developing a chemistry not unlike some of the top combinations in the game. Manning has struggled at times, but one thing has remained fairly constant: he's getting the ball to his big play rookie wide receiver. Despite missing the first four games of the season, Beckham has ascended to the No. 12 overall fantasy wide receiver on the season in standard scoring formats. His numbers since Week 5 have been incredible. Only once has he been held below nine fantasy points (standard scoring) while he has been at 15 or more in half of those games. He's been getting better lately, as well. Since the team's Week 8 bye, Beckham leads all NFL wide receivers in yards (866), receptions (61) and he's second in touchdowns (6). While Manning hasn't been able to find other receivers in the passing game at anywhere near that pace, his connection with Beckham Jr. has made him a viable low-end QB1 starter for those who are in need.

Unfortunately, in Week 16, the duo will be up against one of the league's stingiest pass defenses, the St. Louis Rams, who have given up just four passing touchdowns in their past eight games combined; and that includes games against Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers. They have had somewhat of a cakewalk schedule in terms of passing games they've been against aside from those two QB's, but this is still not an easy team to pass the ball against. Now that their defense is getting healthy, they are reestablishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with and the Giants offensive line may not be ready for the task ahead of them. While Manning is still a borderline starter and Beckham Jr. is an absolute must-start in all formats, don't expect a repeat performance of last week's 12-catch, 143-yard, three-touchdown performance from the rookie.

Running Game Thoughts: A lingering ankle injury has made things extremely frustrating for fantasy owners of New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings. Jennings, who started the season off red hot as one of the top backs in the game, got injured all the way back in Week 5 and has not been the same since. He re-injured himself during an impressive Week 13 game against the Jaguars, and has since only been able to take three total carries over his past two games. He has not been participating in practice this week which could be an indication that he will sit out or be used very sparingly again here in Week 16. With Jennings likely to be out or at least limited, the team will look to rookie tailback Andre Williams to again shoulder the brunt of the team's carries as he has done quite a bit of lately. In Week 14, Williams rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in a blowout win over the Titans. That gave fantasy owners some confidence heading into the Week 15 matchup with the Redskins, but things didn't go nearly as well in that game. Williams was only able to muster 44 yards on 18 carries and he failed to get into the end zone. He's not a very active member of the passing game, which limits his upside particularly in PPR formats, but given the fact that he is a starting running back, he will likely still fall in line as an RB2 here against the Rams.

The Rams have been good against the run throughout most of the season, having conceded just the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position on the year, but they are coming off of a disappointing effort against the Cardinals this past week when they allowed a lowly group of backup running backs to rush for 136 yards against them. Still, other than an awful day against the Chiefs back in Week 8, the Rams have only given up a total of three rushing touchdowns in their other 13 games combined. That doesn't bode well for Williams' chances to make it into the end zone given that New York's offensive line has looked lost on the field on many occasions.

Projections:
Eli Manning: 235 pass yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Andre Williams: 70 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Odell Beckham Jr.: 100 rec yds, 1 TD
Rueben Randle: 50 rec yds
Larry Donnell: 40 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: It would be hard to say that fantasy owners have been disappointed with the effort they've gotten from backup St. Louis Rams quarterback Shaun Hill since he took over as the team's starter earlier. The journeyman backup QB hasn't done anything special, but it would be hard to blame the team's lack of success in the win column on him. Unfortunately, from a fantasy standpoint, he hasn't been good enough to consider him or any of the players in this passing game to be reliable fantasy options. One player has begun to break out a bit, though, and that is wide receiver Stedman Bailey. Bailey leads the team with 19 receptions for 310 over his past four games. While he's only scored one time over that span, he is still by far the most productive pass-catcher on the roster at the moment. Tavon Austin has remained a relative non-factor in the passing game, but has been taking more carries than usual as of late. Although that's not enough to make him a viable fantasy option, Austin's explosive ability has made things easier on other players in the offense as the defense has to pay attention to where he lines up on the field.

In Week 16, though, it's too late to start trusting players in this passing game. They'll be up against a New York Giants defense that struggled early in the season, but has been much better over their past three games against Jacksonville, Tennessee and Washington. Over that three game span, the Giants have allowed an average of just 225 yards passing and they've only conceded two passing touchdowns. While none of those three teams are good or even average passing games, neither is St. Louis. The only player who should be considered as even a Flex option in this offense is Bailey, who seems to be developing some chemistry with Hill down the stretch.

Running Game Thoughts: The up-and-down nature of the St. Louis offense has not been friendly to the running game this season, but there's one thing that has become clear: Tre Mason is the guy. Mason has now touched the ball at least 13 times in seven straight contests. While his 4.26 yards per carry average is nothing spectacular, it's been enough to make Mason a fairly reliable RB2 in most weeks. His game this past week against the Cardinals, however, was awful. The Rams scored just six points on offense, due in no small part to Mason's 13 carries for 33 yards and a fumble.

While his job does not appear to be in any danger whatsoever, those numbers are not very inspiring for fantasy owners as St. Louis hosts a surprisingly tougher-than-you'd-think New York Giants run defense here in Week 16. The Giants were horrendous against the run to start the season, but they've really come on strong here down the stretch. In their past four games, the Giants have given up an average of just 78 rushing yards per game and they have not conceded a single rushing touchdown over that stretch. Aside from Mason's monstrous three touchdown performance against the Raiders back in Week 13, he has only scored one other rushing touchdown on the season. This is not a great matchup for Mason despite the Giants being a bad team overall, so don't expect great numbers here. The St. Louis offense just doesn't move the ball effectively enough to give him numerous chances to get into the end zone, so the realistic upside here isn't great.

Projections:
Shaun Hill: 210 pass yds, 1 TD
Tre Mason: 70 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Stedman Bailey: 65 rec yds, 1 TD
Kenny Britt: 40 rec yds
Tavon Austin: 20 rec yds, 20 rush yds
Jared Cook: 30 rec yds

Prediction: Giants 20, Rams 16 ^ Top

Bills @ Raiders - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: The move from EJ Manuel to Kyle Orton has probably been a net positive for the Buffalo Bills as a franchise, but for fantasy owners, it hasn't been much to be excited about. The Bills have been mediocre at passing the ball all season despite having an impressive duo of young receivers in Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. Orton has been particularly weak lately, having thrown for just four touchdowns with five interceptions over his past five games. While he's been up against some of the better defenses in the league in terms of forcing turnovers, the Broncos, Packers and Jets are not great units in terms of actually preventing fantasy points to opposing QB's, which means that Orton has been disappointing even given his low expectations. What's been really frustrating to watch, however, is the lack of production from the player who many believed would be the Rookie of the Year coming into the season, Sammy Watkins. Watkins started the season off hot, but has been practically a non-factor since the team's Week 9 bye. Over his past six games, Watkins has exceeded 40 yards receiving just once (Week 14 when he caught seven passes for 127 yards against the Broncos) and he has not scored a single touchdown over that span. Meanwhile, Robert Woods has become the more reliable option at least from a fantasy standpoint, but even he has given fantasy owners a couple stinkers in a row now.

This unit should have a decent matchup this week, however, as they go up against an Oakland defense that ranks 21st in the league in fantasy points per game given up to opposing QB's. The Raiders have given up at least one passing touchdown in every game but one this season and they just allowed Kansas City's Alex Smith to throw for 297 yards and two scores this past week. The Raiders represent one of the worst touchdown-to-interception ratios in the league so Orton's downside is about as low as it's going to get in this matchup. If you're in a two-QB league, he's not a bad option. Still, only Watkins makes for a playable option in most leagues this week, as he still represents the type of big game potential that other players in this offense just don't have.

Running Game Thoughts: Veteran tailback Fred Jackson continues to give fantasy owners some decent, but not overly exciting fantasy point totals. He has averaged only 52 yards per game on the ground with one rushing touchdown over his past four contests, but he has also averaged an additional 26 receiving yards per game over that stretch. Jackson's contributions in the passing game have been great for those in PPR formats, but if you're in a standard scoring league, Jackson has only been a borderline starter most weeks. While neither Anthony Dixon or Bryce Brown have been getting many touches over the past few weeks, they remain enough of a part of the offense that Jackson's upside has been very limited. Now with the explosive C.J. Spiller expected to be back from a collarbone injury that has held him out for most of the season, there is yet another mouth to feed in this already low-level running game. Of course, it's worth noting that the Bills have been up against some good run defenses as of late, with the Bills having gone up against the Broncos, Packers and Jets in recent weeks.

Here in Week 16, they'll be up against a friendlier run defense in the Oakland Raiders. Oakland is the second-worst fantasy run defense on the season, having conceded nearly 2,200 total yards and 19 touchdowns to the position. This past week, they were abused by the duo of Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis to the tune of 134 total yards and a pair of touchdowns. Fred Jackson should be a solid RB2 here in Week 16 in what will be the easiest matchup he faces all season. Try not to be too worried about the return of Spiller, at least this week, as the team isn't likely to give him a ton of carries in his first game back.

Projections:
Kyle Orton: 225 pass yds, 2 TD
Fred Jackson: 75 rush yds, 1 TD, 30 rec yds, 1 TD
Sammy Watkins: 80 rec yds, 1 TD
Robert Woods: 50 rec yds
Scott Chandler: 40 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: There aren't many positives to take from this season if you're an Oakland Raiders fan, but if there is one, it's probably the fact that quarterback Derek Carr has looked like the best rookie signal caller in the league this season. Carr has worked with a below-average group of receivers, practically no running game and a terrible offensive line, but has still thrown for nearly 2,900 yards, 18 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. He's been good lately, as well. Since his poor performance against the Rams back in Week 13, Carr has thrown for 254 and 222 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions over his past two games against two very good Kansas City and San Francisco defenses. Wide receiver James Jones got into the end zone this past week as he made a team-high eight catches for 57 against the Chiefs. Meanwhile tight end Mychal Rivera has been coming on as of late, making 14 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown over his past two contests.

Unfortunately the happy vibes coming out of the Oakland passing game may be short lived as they have one of the worst possible matchups here in Week 16. The Buffalo Bills rank 2nd in the league in fantasy points per game given up to opposing QB's and they've been nothing short of unbelievable as of late. Over their past seven games, the Bills have given up just two total passing touchdowns. That includes back-to-back games of holding Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning out of the end zone. To shut down just one of those QB's would be amazing, but shutting down both of them is incredible. Rodgers and Manning are two of the top candidates for NFL MVP this season and they both have thrown for at least one touchdown in every other game this season. Needless to say, Derek Carr and the entire Oakland passing game needs to be on your fantasy bench this week.

Running Game Thoughts: The Raiders are the league's oldest team, but along with rookie quarterback Derek Carr, running back Latavius Murray seems to be coming on here in what is a lost season for the silver and black. Murray has taken over as the feature back in Oakland, supplanting veterans Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew, who have combined for just eight total carries over their past two games. Meanwhile Murray has rushed the ball 35 times for 135 yards while adding 26 yards in the receiving game. Those numbers aren't spectacular, but considering that the Raiders offense is terrible as a whole, they're not too bad. Murray is an explosive player who brings a level of excitement to this offense that they haven't had in quite some time. Still, he's not a great option against one of the best defenses in the league, the Buffalo Bills, here in Week 16.

The Bills have allowed the eight-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs this season and they've held opposing running backs without a rushing touchdown in 10 of their 14 games. If you're looking for a bright spot, consider that although they did a great job of shutting down Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning over their past two games, the Bills have given up a total of 238 rushing yards and four touchdowns to the Broncos and Packers running backs. He still has the capability of breaking loose for a long touchdown and it'll likely be because of Murray if the Raiders are going to stay in this game, but fantasy owners shouldn't trust him as anything other than a low-end RB2 in this matchup.

Projections:
Derek Carr: 205 pass yds, 1 INT
Latavius Murray: 50 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
James Jones: 50 rec yds
Andre Holmes: 40 rec yds
Mychal Rivera: 50 rec yds

Prediction: Bills 24, Raiders 13 ^ Top

Seahawks @ Cardinals - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson continues to defy traditional fantasy theory this season with his incredible pace not as a passer, but rather as a runner. Wilson has already rushed for over 750 yards on the ground this season, which is 300 more than any other QB, and his five rushing touchdowns also put him solely atop the leaderboard at the quarterback position. His passing numbers haven't been terrible either as he has nearly 2,900 yards with 18 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Outside of Doug Baldwin, none of the receivers in this offense have been worth considering from a fantasy standpoint on an every-week basis, but Wilson himself has been a top five fantasy quarterback because of his dual threat ability.

Unfortunately, because he gains so many of his points from running the ball, there can be a level of inconsistency in his game that not many of the other top QB's have. For example, this past week Wilson passed for just 168 yards and one touchdown with an interception against the 49ers. He also rushed for just 27 yards on the day, his lowest total since all the way back in Week 6. Still, even in his worst game of the season, Wilson gave fantasy owners a double-digit day for the 14th time in 14 games this year.

In Week 16, Wilson and the Seahawks will be up against Arizona defense that has essentially been the only thing keeping their team in first place in the NFC West. The Cardinals defense has been dominant, having held opposing quarterbacks to single-digit fantasy point totals in five games, including this past week against the Rams when they held Shaun Hill to just 229 yards passing and no touchdowns. Still, Wilson's fantasy owners of should not panic. When Arizona traveled to Seattle back in Week 12, Wilson did have a productive day, throwing for 211 yards and a touchdown while also also rushing for 73 yards. It'll be a tougher environment in Arizona as the Cardinals and Seahawks battle in what might be the determining game for the NFC West division title, but Wilson has been good enough that he cannot be benched at this point.

Running Game Thoughts: With rumors of his potential retirement on the horizon, we may be seeing the end of Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch down the stretch, or at least his final days in a Seahawks jersey. He appears to be determined to go out with a bang, however, as he continues to produce big fantasy numbers and carry the kind of workload that most running backs only dream of. Lynch has carried the ball 256 times this season, fourth most in the NFL, which he has taken for 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 34 receptions for 331 yards and four touchdowns have also been a pleasantly surprising boost of fantasy production given that he has not been a very active member of the Seattle passing game in years past. Lynch has given his fantasy owners double-digit fantasy totals in six of his past seven games, which also makes him one of the most consistent backs in the league.

Unfortunately, the one outlier in that six-of-seven streak came against the Arizona Cardinals, the team he will be matched up with again here in Week 16. The Cardinals held Lynch to a season-low 2.6 yards per carry in that game while also keeping him out of the end zone. That wasn't a rarity for the Cardinals, either, as they have been great against the run all year. Their 11.6 fantasy points per game average given up to opposing running backs is second-fewest in the league and they've only allowed two teams' running backs to rush for over 100 yards on the year. Lynch is a must-start given his tremendous consistency, but this is not a desirable matchup by any means.

Projections:
Russell Wilson: 220 pass yds, 1 TD, 45 rush yds
Marshawn Lynch: 60 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Doug Baldwin: 65 rec yds, 1 TD
Jermaine Kearse: 50 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: "Next man up" continues to be the philosophy of the Arizona Cardinals and head coach Bruce Arians, but at some point, it has to be too much, doesn't it? The Cardinals have plotted forward without quarterback Carson Palmer and remained atop the NFC West, but with running back Andre Ellington (IR), the offensive firepower had dwindled significantly in recent weeks. Veteran backup Drew Stanton led the team to a 2-2 record in his previous four games before himself getting injured this past week against the Rams. A knee injury was expected to keep Stanton out the remainder of the season, but reports are that he practiced in limited fashion on Thursday. The news was shocking as the team had previously said that they thought he might be able to play in "about four weeks." Still, most believe that it will be Ryan Lindley who gets the start here in Week 16 in what will likely be the most important game of the season for the Cardinals' chances to hold onto the NFC West. Lindley completed just four of his 10 pass attempts this past week for 30 yards in relief of Stanton and his mere presence on the field should be giving nightmares to owners of any of the Cardinals' talented group of wide receivers. Lindley has never thrown a touchdown pass in the NFL while throwing nine interceptions in 181 career attempts. No player in the history of the league has thrown more passes without a touchdown than Lindley.

Needless to say, he is about as low of a fantasy option as could be imagined as he goes up against a Seattle secondary that is the best in the league. Seattle has given up a league-fewest 2,727 passing yards this season while allowing just 17 touchdowns and forcing 10 interceptions. The 10 interceptions are lower than many expected coming into the season, but they've been so good at simply shutting down opposing passing games that there is practically nothing to complain about. Not to mention, that interception number will almost certainly go up here in Week 16 with Lindley behind center for the Cardinals. With Richard Sherman likely to lineup against Larry Fitzgerald this week, the only semi-reliable fantasy option in this passing game suddenly looks to be untouchable here in Week 16. Avoid everyone in the Arizona passing game at all costs.

Running Game Thoughts: With Andre Ellington out for the season, the Cardinals have been looking for a running back who can step in and give them some decent production out of the position. It appeared as if that back would be Marion Grice as he played in relief of Ellington when he got injured in Week 13. Instead, it was Kerwynn Williams who took over the lead role in Week 14 as he rushed for 100 yards on 19 carries against the Chiefs. Williams looked good in that game and most believed he would be in line to start in Week 15 as well. But the Arizona coaching staff again confused fantasy owners as they gave the start to Stepfan Taylor who rushed for 61 yards on 14 carries. Williams still ended up taking one more carry with his 15 for 75 yards, but suffered a knee injury in the contest that has him listed as questionable heading into Sunday night's contest. Given the unknown nature of Williams' injury and his lack of history, it would be wise for fantasy owners to look elsewhere here in Week 16 as the Cardinals host the Seahawks.

Seattle has been more giving to opposing running games than they have been passing games here in 2014, but they've still allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs this season. The Seahawks have held opposing teams' running backs to 50 or fewer rushing yards in six of their past eight contests, including holding the Cardinals' Andre Ellington to just 24 yards on 10 carries back in Week 12. The Cardinals are in for a tough day in this game and given the fact that this game will be played on Sunday evening and the unknowns surrounding the running back position as a whole, now would be a wise time to find a nice spot for Williams and Taylor on your fantasy bench.

Projections:
Ryan Lindley: 165 pass yds, 1 INT
Kerwynn Williams: 40 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Stepfan Taylor: 40 rush yds, 1 TD
Michael Floyd: 60 rec yds
Larry Fitzgerald: 30 rec yds
John Brown: 25 rec yds
Jaron Brown: 20 rec yds

Prediction: Seahawks 23, Cardinals 10 ^ Top

Lions at Bears - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Vikings Xavier Rhodes covered Calvin Johnson like a warm blanket last week, slowing down the Lions passing game in Week 15. Johnson has long been vital to quarterback Matthew Stafford’s success, as the big wide receiver will almost always be Stafford’s first look and the ball may go to him even when he’s double teamed. Last week however, Rhodes shut that connection down and while Golden Tate stepped up, as he did he did when Johnson was out injured, no other pass catcher contributed much and Stafford totaled only 153 passing yards with one touchdown on the day. Tate contributed 7 catches for 38 yards and found the end-zone on a nice catch and run – and most of the other receptions were dump offs to the running backs. The Lions passing game has been very erratic this season, but have generally feasted when they have faced poor pass defenses like the one they will be facing this week.

The Chicago Bears’ defense has not stopped anyone all season long. When these two teams last met, Stafford put up 390 passing yards with 2 touchdown passes to Johnson. The Bears had no answer for Megatron during that game and it’s unlikely they have found one since. On the season, the Bears are allowing 272.2 yards per game and have yielded an incredible 33 touchdowns through the air. Look for the Lions’ passing game to find its way back this week.
Running Game Thoughts: Joique Bell had his best game of the season the last time he faced the Bears, rushing for 91 yards with a pair of endzone trips. Despite the return of Reggie Bush, it has been Bell seeing the heavy workload for the team ever since that game. Bell rushed 15 times for 62 yards last week while also adding 4 receptions for 41 yards. At 29 years of age and nicked up all season, Bush has looked like a shell of himself during the games he’s managed to play and with the division title and a playoff spot on the line over these last two weeks, it’s hard to imagine the team incorporating him into the offense. Because of their strong defense, the Lions have been looking to establish a more balanced offense this season and Bell is making that a lot easier with his strong running down the stretch.

The Bears-D has played the run reasonably well, allowing 110.2 yards per game and only 10 rushing touchdowns on the season. Those statistics are partially a result of the passing defense being such an easy target for opposing offenses. Look for the Lions to keep the ball grounded on a December day in Chicago, especially if the Bears do not generate much offense.

Projections:
Matthew Stafford: 255 pass yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Reggie Bush: 35 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Joique Bell: 85 rush yds, 1 TD, 30 rec yds
Calvin Johnson: 100 rec yds, 2 TDs
Golden Tate: 70 rec yds
Eric Ebron: 20 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Jay Cutler delivered another pitiful performance on Monday night and now has 18 interceptions on the season while also losing 6 fumbles. While Cutler has put up 3,640 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns, a disproportionate amount of that production has come in garbage time as he attempts to drag his team back from a large deficit that he has been largely responsible for putting them in. Despite paying Cutler like a franchise quarterback this offseason, the team has seen enough and will turn to career underachiever Jimmy Clausen. Clausen will make his first start since 2010 and has a career 52.5 completion percentage with 9 interceptions and only 3 touchdown passes in 13 games. Brandon Marshall was placed on IR after suffering broken ribs and a collapsed lung and missed the last game leaving Alshon Jeffrey as the team’s go to option. Jeffrey didn’t do much last week until the game’s final drive, scoring a touchdown which made the game 31-15 with time running out. Unless Clausen clicks in much the same way that another career backup, Josh McCown, was able to last season, the passing game could struggle this week.
The Lions are allowing only 236.5 passing yards per game and have managed to pick off as many balls as they have allowed touchdown passes (19:19). The ball hawking secondary of the Lions could spell big trouble for a quarterback that hasn’t started a game in four years. The Lions can create pressure up the middle, and the Bears offensive line has struggled in pass protection.

Running Game Thoughts: Matt Forte played well on Monday night, but the problem was, as it often is, he didn’t see enough carries to help the team as much as he could have. Forte gained 78 yards on 16 carries and gashed a poor Saints’ run defense, but Marc Trestmen, “the quarterback guru”, loves his passing game even when it’s looking as bad as it did last week. The Bears offensive line is solid in run blocking, further making it questionable as to why the team would rather keep repeating what hasn’t been working instead of trying a more conservative ball control approach. In fairness, the team’s defense isn’t very strong and at times the team must be forced to play catch up, but turnovers by the team’s quarterback have played an equally large role in creating big deficits on the scoreboard.
This would be a tough time for the Bears to look to establish a running game, even if they were inclined to do so. The Lions’ top ranked run defense is allowing only 3.1 yards per carry and 63.8 yards per game with 7 touchdowns on the season.

Projections:
Jay Cutler: 275 pass yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 15 rush yds
Matt Forte: 65 rush yds, 40 rec yds
Ka’Deem Carey: 15 rush yds
Marquess Wilson: 45 rec yds
Alshon Jeffery: 80 rec yds, 1 TD
Martellus Bennett: 60 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Lions 31, Bears 20 ^ Top

Chiefs at Steelers - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Remarkably it’s been over one full calendar year since Alex Smith has throw a touchdown pass to a Chiefs’ wide receiver. Smith has thrown 18 touchdowns on the season, with all of them going to his tight ends and running backs. The Chiefs have started pushing the ball downfield more in recent weeks, and he managed a 9.9 yards per attempt this past week against the Raiders. Albert Wilson, an undrafted rookie out of Georgia State is in large part responsible for the new deep passing attack since replacing Donnie Avery in the line-up. The rookie hooked up with Smith for the Chiefs longest pass play of the season in Week 15, 48 yards downfield. Tight End Travis Kelce has arguably been the Chiefs most valuable player in the passing game presenting a big target for Smith and showing superior run after the catch skills for a 6’5” 260 pound target. The Chiefs will never be mistaken for the early ‘00 Rams, but Alex Smith is a good fit for the dink and dunk offense that Andy Reid has installed and Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis have displayed big play abilities out of the backfield.

The Steelers’ pass defense has not been very good at all in 2014. The team is allowing 252.9 passing yards per game and has yielded 28 touchdown passes on the season. Defensive back William Gay intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown last week on a pass thrown by Matt Ryan on Atlanta’s first possession, but the Steelers then went on to get carved up by Ryan for the rest of the game despite Julio Jones not suiting up.
Running Game Thoughts: Jamaal Charles was upset after last week’s game for being “babied” by Coach Andy Reid when the staff kept him on the sideline after taking a big hit in the red-zone and with the Chiefs in control of the game. Charles entered the game nursing and ankle and knee injury, and was limited to 12 carries for 52 yards. Knile Davis took advantage of the opportunity scoring a rushing touchdown on the play after Charles was removed and later taking a short pass from Alex Smith for a 70-yard touchdown. The Chiefs feature a solid offensive line, two above average runners and a ball control philosophy all of which adds up to a tough day for opposing defenses.

The Steelers are only allowing 103.6 yards per game on the ground and will likely be moving safeties up into the box to shut down the Chiefs’ running game while daring Alex Smith to beat them deep.

Projections:
Alex Smith: 215 pass yds, 1 TD, 25 rush yds
Jamaal Charles: 85 rush yds, 1 TD, 45 rec yds
Knile Davis: 45 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Dwayne Bowe: 45 rec yds
Albert Wilson: 60 rec yds
Travis Kelce: 55 rec yds
Anthony Fasano: 20 rec yds. 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Ben Roethlisberger is in the midst of the best statistical season of his career. He has already thrown for a career high 4,415 passing yards and only needs 3 passing touchdowns in the last two games to tie his career high 32 passing touchdowns. Antonio Brown has clearly been the focal point of the passing offense and is simply uncoverable, as he runs precise routes with incredible quickness. Brown has 1,498 receiving yards through 14 games and will easily surpass his career high set last season. Rookie Martavis Bryant has slowed down since a mid-season streak where he scored 6 touchdowns in five games, but at 6’4” with very good downfield speed he could make a major impact at any time.

The Chiefs have played tough against the pass allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks, with only 199.2 passing yards per game, but have given up 21 touchdown passes and have only 4 interceptions.

Running Game Thoughts: Le’Veon Bell has been the best running back in the league since LeGarrette Bount was released following the team’s Week 11 game. The team finally started giving him goal-line carries and he’s rewarded them with 5 rushing touchdowns in the last three weeks. Bell, despite losing 20 pounds this offseason, is still a big back but shows incredible vision and quick footwork allowing him to consistently break through the line and get to the second level. Bell has been a true workhorse back since Blount was let go and is the most complete back in the league as evidenced by his 76 receptions for 765 yards.

The Chiefs run defense has fallen in the rankings since the early season and are now ahead of only the Saints, Giants, Browns and Titans. They have however only yielded 2 rushing touchdowns with both coming in the same game to the Raiders during a Thursday Night upset. Bell should be in for another big week.

Projections:
Ben Roethlisberger: 295 pass yds, 2 TDs, 20 rush yds
Le’Veon Bell: 125 rush yds, 45 rec yds
Dri Archer: 15 rush yds
Antonio Brown: 105 rec yds, 1 TD
Markus Wheaton: 30 rec yds
Martavis Bryant: 65 rec yds, 1 TD
Heath Miller: 40 rec yds

Prediction: Chiefs 20, Steelers 17 ^ Top

Broncos at Bengals - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Whether as a result of age, injury, illness, or game-plan, Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ passing attack has stalled for the last three weeks. The team has favored running the ball over those three games, with 105 runs against 78 pass attempts and when Manning has thrown the ball his passes have fluttered and sailed more than ever. Manning has only thrown three touchdowns in the last three weeks with 2 interceptions. He is still the smartest and most prepared player on the field every week so even with his failing arm strength he can still get the ball to the open man and let players like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders make plays after the catch. The ankle injury suffered by tight end Julius Thomas has limited him and hasn’t helped matters as it gives Peyton one less bullet in his gun, especially with veteran Wes Welker no longer a dangerous player after the catch. It’s a strong possibility that the Broncos approach this week with another run-heavy game plan, as they look to exploit the Bengals’ defensive weakness while relying on their defense that is playing at an elite level.

The Bengals’ defense is allowing 233.6 passing yards per game, and has yielded only 14 touchdowns with 14 interceptions so things don’t get any easier this week for a Broncos’ team that has run into some tough passing defenses recently. In the Broncos favor - the Bengals haven’t consistently generated a pass rush and only have 18 sacks on the season.

Running Game Thoughts: As stated above the Broncos have gone to a run heavy offense in their recent games, and running back C.J. Anderson and his fresh legs have responded with flying colors. Anderson has dominated opposing defenses gaining 478 yards on the ground with 5 total touchdowns during his last four games. Anderson has consistently gained more yards than what his blockers are giving him, churning out chunks of yards with his burst through the hole and his low center of gravity which makes him tough to bring down. Right now the running game is working, and with Manning not quite right, it’s safe to assume the team will keep relying on an Anderson centric attack. Ronnie Hillman could be back this week, but he’s expected to occupy a change of pace role if he is able to get on the field. If not, rookie Juwan Thompson will act a spell back for Anderson and see a handful of carries.

The Bengals have not been very good at stopping the run, allowing 124.8 rushing yards per game while yielding 15 rushing touchdowns. The Broncos as stated are likely to continue to establish the run and protect manning’s health, especially in what may be some adverse conditions during a night game in Cincinnati.

Projections:
Peyton Manning: 225 pass yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 5 rush yds
C.J. Anderson: 105 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Juwan Thompson: 35 rush yds
Demaryius Thomas: 85 rec yds, 1 TD
Emmanuel Sanders: 65 rec yds
Julius Thomas: 35 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Andy Dalton played the game manger role for the Bengals last week as the team rode its running game to a blowout win in Cleveland. Truth be told, he wasn’t even that good as a game manager but the rushing attack hid any deficiencies. With Dalton’s inconsistent play, a heavy rushing attack is likely the best approach for the team can take if they want to finally advance past their opening playoff game. Dalton has had his share of good weeks, but has also struggled in too many games this season. He’s averaged 214 passing yards per game with a 15:14 TD to interception ratio making him an average at best fantasy option. A.J. Green struggled last week in his match up with the Browns’ Joe Haden, but even with Haden out of the game injured, Dalton was so bad that he couldn’t utilize the dangerous Green. Green still shows the ability to dominate opposing defenses when Dalton isn’t completely self destructing, but unfortunately those days haven’t been frequent enough this season.

On the season Denver is allowing 237.8 passing yards per game and has allowed 26 touchdown passes against them. Those numbers are somewhat inflated however by early season games where the Broncos offense was clicking and forcing teams into catch-up mode as early as the first half. Aqib Talib and Chris Harris have played well in coverage and the Von Miller / DeMarcus Ware combo has terrorized opposing quarterbacks. An appearance from “Bad” Andy Dalton wouldn’t be shocking on Monday Night against this tough defense.

Running Game Thoughts: Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson finally turned the feature back role over to rookie Jeremy Hill and the results were outstanding. Hill showed nice power and inside running ability when Giovani Bernard missed time earlier in the season, and it was on full display in Cleveland as Hill ran for 148 yards and two scores. The talk heading into the week was that Jackson would prefer to feature one back, after both backs struggled in a timeshare, and Hill looked like the right choice. The running game in general was dominant even when Hill wasn’t the one toting the rock, as Bernard gained 79 yards and even third string back Rex Burkhead added 14 yards and a touchdown.

The matchup is not quite as favorable this week however. The Broncos are allowing only 71.6 yards per game to opposing teams. If The Bengals will have any chance to win this game they must somehow find a way to overcome the second best run defense in the league and move the ball on the ground.

Projections:
Andy Dalton: 245 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs., 25 rush yds
Jeremy Hill: 65 rush yds, 1 TD, 20 rec yds
Giovani Bernard: 35 rush yds, 35 rec yds
A.J. Green: 80 rec yds, 1 TD
Mohamed Sanu: 40 rec yds
Jermaine Gresham: 20 rec yds

Prediction: Broncos 27, Bengals 20 ^ Top