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Inside the Matchup
Week 12
11/22/17; Updated: 11/24/17

By: Andy Swanson | Jason Katz | Nick Caron | Jake Gordon



MIN @ DET | LAC @ DAL | NYG @ WAS | CLE @ CIN

GB @ PIT | HOU @ BAL | CAR @ NYJ | MIA @ NE

CHI @ PHI | TEN @ IND | TB @ ATL | BUF @ KC

DEN @ OAK | NO @ LAR | JAX @ ARI | SEA @ SF

Notes:
- Green highllight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)

Vikings @ Lions - (Swanson)

Passing Game Thoughts: With six consecutive wins, including an impressive 24-7 win at home last week against the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams, head coach Mike Zimmer will continue to ride Case Keenum in favor of incumbent starter Teddy Bridgewater.

Keenum, a journeyman backup with a career completion percentage of just over 60%, is competing closer to 70% of his passes during the winning streak, including 81% of his throws in Minnesota’s 20-17 road win against the Bears Week 5. He also set a career-high mark of four touchdown passes against the Redskins as part of a 31.1 fantasy performance in Week 10.

Thursday’s matchup against the Lions on Thanksgiving will be a big test for Keenum and the Vikings, as their division foe won the first matchup at US Bank Stadium 14-7, with Keenum posting his second-fewest fantasy point total of the season (11.0).

The Lions rank 23rd in total defense in 2017 and allow the 20th-most points to opposing quarterbacks. The Darius Slay/Glover Quinn led secondary has done an excellent job limiting sub-par passers like Brett Hundley, DeShone Kizer, and Mitchell Trubisky to one or fewer passing touchdowns over the past three weeks, while more accomplished QBs like Drew Brees and Cam Newton were able to post big performances against this unit.

As the fourth-worst team in points allowed to opposing running backs, attacking the Lions on the ground has been the preferred mode of attack for opposing offensive coordinators. But that does not mean Keenum and the passing game won’t find success on Thursday through the air, especially with tight end Kyle Rudolph against a linebacking corps that allows the 12th-most points to opposing TEs. Detroit has allowed at least 70 yards or a receiving touchdown to a tight end in four of the last six games, including a career-high 175 yards by Ed Dixon in Week 5.

On the injury front, the Vikings enter the Thanksgiving short week at full strength on the offensive side of the ball, with no offensive players list on the official injury report. The Lions have four players listed on their injury report, highlighted by pass rush specialist Ziggy Ansah, who was a limited participant in practice on Monday and Tuesday with a back injury. Ansah will likely play on Thursday, however, the short week can be difficult for players nursing nagging injuries like Ansah’s back ailment.

DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12

Running Game Thoughts: Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon are excellent plays this week, as only the 49ers, Bills, and Rams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. Seven running backs have posted double-digit performances against the Lions, including the tandem of Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen last week in Chicago. The duo combined for 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns, with Cohen adding 15 receiving yards on four receptions.

Murray will continue to be the early down and short yardage back with the upside of goal-line carries, while McKinnon should see plenty of action in the passing game. In addition not allowing the second-most rushing touchdowns on the season (10), the Lions have given up the sixth-most receptions to opposing backs. Both running backs will be active in this game, and both are worthy of a start in all formats as No.2 RBs or flex plays, with McKinnon offering the most upside.

Value Meter:
QB1: Case Keenum (Low-End)
RB2: Jerick McKinnon (High-End)
RB2: Latavius Murray (Low-End)
WR1: Adam Thielen (Low-End)
WR2: Stefon Diggs (High-End)
TE1: Kyle Rudolph (Low-End)

Passing Game Thoughts: Mike Zimmer’s defensive unit ranks 5th in total defense behind only Jacksonville, Carolina, Denver, and Pittsburgh in total yards allowed and 11th in yards allowed in the passing game. The Vikings allow an average of 17.4 points per game to opposing quarterbacks, although those numbers are somewhat skewed by a two-rushing touchdown outlier performance by Kirk Cousins in a surprising shootout between the Vikings and Redskins in Week 10. No quarterback has thrown for more than two touchdowns against the Vikings, and only Jameis Winston and Cousins have been able to reach the 300-yard plateau.

Matthew Stafford’s worst game of the season came against the Vikings Week 4, as Stafford completed just 19 of 31 passes for 209 yards and zero touchdowns. Stafford has not thrown for more than two touchdowns against Zimmer’s defense in the past three seasons, making him a decent but not strong play this Thursday.

Stafford’s wide receivers rank fourth in combined fantasy points on the season behind only Pittsburgh, Houston, and the L.A. Rams. Golden Tate continues to be a favorite target of Stafford’s out of the slot with at least six receptions in four of his last five games, while Marvin Jones has been fantasy gold with four touchdowns in his last five games, including a monster two-touchdown, 107-yard performance in Week 9 against the Packers.

Of the two receiving options this week, Tate will likely have more value working out of the slot while Xavier Rhodes mirrors Jones on the outside. Slot receivers have found some success against the Vikings, while Rhodes has done a solid job limiting the production of outside receivers like Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins, and Jones in Week 4.

Kenny Golladay is a sneaky start in this game as the deep threat off of play action against an aggressive secondary. Martavis Bryant and DeSean Jackson were able to beat the Vikings for a deep touchdown this season, and Golladay could be in line for a couple of deep shots if Ameer Abdullah and the Detroit ground game can find success running the ball to open up the play action pass.

MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26

Running Game Thoughts: After spending most of the season near the bottom of the pack in combined fantasy points scored at the running back position, the Lions moved up to 25th in points scored after three consecutive weeks of Ameer Abdullah scoring a touchdown. After a disappointing start to the season, the former Nebraska Cornhusker has slowly climbed up to 27th in fantasy points per game (8.4), just behind Jay Ajayi and C.J. Anderson.

Starting Abdullah against a Vikings defense that allows the fewest points to opposing running backs is not the best play this week. However, it should be noted that Abdullah’s 20/94/1 line against Minnesota is the best performance of the season by Abdullah and the second most total yards allowed to an opposing back by the Vikings in 2017.

All eight players listed on the injury report for the Vikings play on the defensive side of the ball, highlighted by stud cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive end Everson Griffen. All eight players, including Rhodes, were able to make it through a full practice on Wednesday and appear ready to go for Thursday’s game.

Value Meter:
QB1: Matthew Stafford (Low-End)
RB3: Ameer Abdullah (High-End)
WR1: Golden Tate (High-End)
WR2: Marvin Jones (Low-End)
TE2: Eric Ebron (Low-End)

Prediction: Vikings 24, Lions 17 ^ Top

Chargers at Cowboys - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: Philip Rivers didn’t have to do much last week as the Chargers had the pleasure of facing Nate Peterman for half a game. When Rivers did throw, he just stared down Keenan Allen because that’s all he’s capable of doing. It was fine though because it worked. Allen caught 12 of 13 targets for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Allen had been coming off a handful of lackluster weeks so it was nice to see this out of him. Beyond Allen, no one on this pass catching corps matters. Mike Williams was actually second on the team with eight targets, but he still finished with just five receptions for 38 yards. Hunter Henry caught two balls. Tyrell Williams caught one. On a short week on the road, Thursday is not the ideal spot for the Chargers. However, the Cowboys are a team in complete disarray and there is nothing in Jason Garrett’s coaching history to suggest he’s capable of putting together a plan or rallying the team. Rivers will throw to Allen and dare the Cowboys to stop it. They probably won’t be able to for a full game.

DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17

Running Game Thoughts: Melvin Gordon surprisingly didn’t catch a single pass last week, just the second time this season he’s failed to record a reception. He had a nice fantasy day with 80 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, but is still losing snaps to the more dynamic Austin Ekeler. The rookie had half as many yards as Gordon, but only carried the ball six times. Ekeler is a better player than Gordon, but the Chargers will continue to push Gordon like they have been since his rookie season. Gordon is a safe bet to touch the ball 20 times on Thursday and the Cowboys are falling apart. Gordon should be able to succeed with volume and wear down the Cowboys defense leading to second half production.

Value Meter:
QB1: Philip Rivers (low end)
RB1: Melvin Gordon (low end)
WR1: Keenan Allen (low end)
Bench: Austin Ekeler, Tyrell Williams, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry

Passing Game Thoughts: Oh dear. Where to begin? Since Tyron Smith went down, Dak Prescott has spent two games failing to reach 200 yards passing or the end zone (he had one rushing score against the Falcons and then spent the next seven quarters of football not scoring any points). Last week was the worst game of Prescott’s career. He posted a season low 58.1 completion percentage, a season low 10 rushing yards, and beat his season low in passing yards by just two. He also gave the ball to the wrong team four times. The short week shouldn’t be that big of a deal for Dallas since they’ve done this every year since Thanksgiving games started, but it certainly doesn’t help. Dez Bryant continued his streak of not reaching double digit receptions or triple digit yardage with 8-63 on 14 targets. At least he was useful. He will continue to be a useful WR3, but nothing more. It is difficult to know what to do with Prescott this week. If Tyron Smith plays, which is looking likely, we can feel more confident, but after starting the season on fire, Prescott has been downright useless three of the past four weeks. Given the situation with the team, the fact that this game is on Thursday, and the Chargers impressive defensive display last week (taken with a grain of salt, of course), it is fair to consider benching Prescott if you have a viable alternative. However, I wouldn’t put it past Prescott to step it up on Thanksgiving in a game the Cowboys absolutely cannot lose.

LAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
LAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
LAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
LAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31

Running Game Thoughts: We finally got some clarity on the post-Zeke era. Rod Smith started the game, but it was Alfred Morris who was the clear feature back. Morris did his best Zeke impression with 91 yards on 17 carries. Smith rushed for just 11 yards on eight carries. The Chargers could do no wrong last week against the Bills, except for the part where they let LeSean McCoy rattle off 114 yards on just 13 carries. Morris has a legitimate shot at a 100-yard day. With Tyron Smith back, Morris might actually be a startable RB2 against a poor Chargers run defense. Smith and Darren McFadden can be universally dropped.

Value Meter:
QB1: Dak Prescott (low end)
RB2: Alfred Morris (low end)
WR3: Dez Bryant
Bench: Jason Witten, Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, Rod Smith

Prediction: Cowboys 24, Chargers 20 ^ Top

Giants at Redskins - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: So the Giants get blown out by C.J. Beathard and the 49ers, but beat Alex Smith and the Chiefs. Makes sense. They certainly didn’t do it with offense though. Eli Manning threw for 205 empty yards, which, unsurprisingly, resulted in no useful fantasy receivers. It did not help that Sterling Shepard was inactive due to migraines. If he returns Thursday, expect double digit targets. However, Shepard was limited at practice Monday and not seen on Tuesday. It seems surprising that migraines would last this long, but I’ve never had migraines and I’m not a doctor. As of Wednesday, it was looking increasingly unlikely that Shepard will play. If Shepard can’t go, Manning will have to rely almost exclusively on Evan Engram, who is coming off the worst game of his young career, which includes a game in which he did not catch a pass. Engram caught his first target for nine yards and then could not connect with Manning on the next five. There were a combination of factors working against Engram ranging from miscommunication to questionable push off calls to just plain bad football. Engram apparently gave an impassioned speech on Sunday, though. I expect a bounce back performance is in the cards. None of Roger Lewis, Tavarres King, or Travis Rudolph have any value. It will be a tough test against Josh Norman and Bashaud Breeland for the outside WRs. I like Engram a lot this week.

WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3

Running Game Thoughts: Orleans Darkwa is firmly the lead back for the Giants and rightfully so. He only managed 74 yards on his 20 carries, but that’s way better than anyone else is capable of. Darkwa also plunged into the end zone for the game’s only touchdown. He now has at least 16 touches over his past three games and has been incredibly consistent with rushing totals of 71, 70, and 74. Darkwa has settled in as a flex/low end RB2. It’s been a long time since the Giants backfield had any fantasy value. The Redskins are difficult to throw on so the Giants will try and pound it with Darkwa even in situations where they shouldn’t (have to love the innovative run-run-pass sequence that has become the Ben McAdoo special).

Value Meter:
TE1: Evan Engram (mid-range)
Flex: Orleans Darkwa
Bench: Wayne Gallman, Eli Manning, Sterling Shepard (migraines), Roger Lewis, Travis Rudolph

Passing Game Thoughts: The Saints actually have a very good pass defense, but no one told Kirk Cousins last week. Cousins threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns in a game the Redskins inexplicably lost. With Terrelle Pryor done for the season, Josh Doctson’s ascension has begun. He caught four of seven targets for 81 yards. His snap count and target share will only continue to grow. Jamison Crowder has reemerged on our radar. He caught seven of eight targets for 72 yards, marking his third consecutive useful game. Jordan Reed didn’t play and has been ruled out for Week 12. Davis only caught three passes last week, but totaled 67 yards. He hasn’t scored since Week 3, but he’s been a viable fantasy starter every week except Week 8 against Dallas. The Giants did not stop the Chiefs last week so much as Andy Reid stopped the Chiefs because apparently he’s forgotten how to call an offense. The Giants pass defense can be exploited as the 49ers proved the week before. Doctson, Crowder, and Davis are all startable options even on a short week.

NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1

Running Game Thoughts: The week after Rob Kelley was lost for the season, the Redskins actually lost someone important – Chris Thompson. Without CT, the Redskins have a definitive void in their passing attack and are certain to sign a running back at some point. Right now, Byron Marshall is the only healthy back behind workhorse starter Samaje Perine. I say workhorse starter because Perine has no choice. He touched the ball 24 times last week, 23 of them on the ground for 117 yards and a touchdown. He is going to see volume and especially so on the short week as the Redskins won’t be able to get anyone up to speed in just three days. Perine has talent, but was buried by Jay Gruden due to fumbling issues. Perine has to hold onto the ball now because there is no one else. As long as Perine can avoid costly mistakes, he has a good chance to be a strong RB2 the rest of the way. This is his chance to stake his claim to the starting role for 2018. I expect him to build upon his mini breakout this Thursday.

Value Meter:
QB1: Kirk Cousins (mid-range)
RB2: Samaje Perine (mid-range)
WR3: Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder
TE1: Vernon Davis (low end)
Bench: Jordan Reed (hamstring), Chris Thompson (IR), Terrelle Pryor (ankle)

Prediction: Redskins 28, Giants 13 ^ Top

Browns @ Bengals - (Swanson)

Passing Game Thoughts: 2017 has been a roller-coaster season filled with highs and lows for rookie DeShone Kizer. Despite multiple demotions by head coach Hue Jackson due to erratic throws and poor decision making one would expect from a rookie, Kizer has two top-6 performances on the season, including a 30.5 point game Week 3 against the Colts. His 16.0 point per game average places him just behind Blake Bortles and Jameis Winston for 30th overall this season, but well ahead of Jay Cutler, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brett Hundley, and Joe Flacco.

The problem with Kizer is that his bad performances on the roller coaster season are terrible, with three single-digit games from Weeks 4 through 7, including a 6.9 point performance against the Bengals Week 4. In that match, the former Norte Dame Golden Domer completed just 47% of his passes for 118 yards and one interception, and the Bengals held the mobile QB to only ten rushing yards on five attempts.

Kizer will have more weapons at his disposal in his rematch against the Bengals on Sunday with the return of wide receiver Corey Coleman, who missed the Week 4 tilt with a broken hand. Coleman was a target monster against the Jags last week, garnering 11 of Kizer’s 19 pass attempts for six receptions for 80 yards. Not a bad performance considering the fact that the game was played against the league’s top pass defense in less than ideal weather conditions.

Although nowhere near as difficult a matchup as the Jags, the Bengals have been stout against the pass, allowing the fourth-fewest points to opposing wide receivers.

The leading receiver on the Browns continues to be running back Duke Johnson, a versatile player who is tied with James White for third-most receptions by a running back with 46 on the year. Johnson should be active in this game against a Bengals team that allows the fourth-most receptions to opposing running backs on the season. As is always the case with the winless Browns, a positive game script for Johnson is something to consider and the favored Bengals could run away with this game.

CIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
CIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
CIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
CIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21

Running Game Thoughts: After allowing just two rushing touchdowns over the first nine games of the season, the Bengals have given up three rushing touchdowns over the past two contests, including a two rushing touchdown day (three total TDs) to DeMarco Murray.

Early down and short yardage back Isaiah Crowell came crashing back to Earth last week with a 1.8 point dud after consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. His 1.6 yard per carry average was his worst performance of the year, and he failed to catch a ball for only the second time in 2017. Look for Crow to find more success this week regarding his YPC average; however, he continues to be a touchdown-dependent play that has yet to top the century mark in rushing yards or receive more than 17 rushing attempts in a game.

Johnson’s usage in the run game was surprisingly low last week after Jackson gave the former Miami Hurricane 10 carries against Detroit Week 10. Although he only got two carries out of the backfield, Johnson continues to be a solid flex play due to his usage in the passing game (20 receptions in his last four games).

Value Meter:
QB2: DeShone Kizer (Low-End)
RB3: Duke Johnson (High-End)
RB3: Isaiah Crowell (Mid-Range)
WR3: Corey Coleman (High-End)

Passing Game Thoughts: There are few times each season when Andy Dalton should be considered a must-start, top 10 option in fantasy. A home game against a Browns defense that allows the 12-most points to opposing quarterbacks is one such time. Dalton has been nearly perfect against the Browns in his last five matchups, with 13 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. He finished as a No.1 quarterback in each of those five games and should do the same this week against the winless Browns.

Although the volume for wide receiver A.J. Green has been somewhat disappointing with only one performance of five or more receptions in his last five games, he is primed for a monster day and should be considered an elite play vs. Cleveland. Anything less than 100 yards and a touchdown will be a letdown for Green, as numerous wide receivers have posted big games this season against the Browns, including T.Y. Hilton’s 153/1 performance Week 3.

After a pedestrian 3/37 line last week against the stout Denver Bronco secondary, veteran wideout Brandon LaFell could be a sneaky play this week against an injury-depleted Browns defense. Top cornerback Jason McCourty will likely line up exclusively opposite of Green, leaving LaFell matched up against Jamar Taylor.

The Browns could be without safeties Gabriel Peppers and Derron Smith, leaving third-string Justin Currie as the likely starting safety opposite Derrick Kindred. Green and LeFell are excellent starts against a fully healthy Browns secondary, but against a third-string safety, both players could be difference makers on Sunday.

CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4

Running Game Thoughts: Only the Seahawks, Bucs, and Dolphins have scored fewer fantasy points at the running back position than the Bengals, a team that looked to be primed for a big year with highly touted rookie Joe Mixon joining the mix.

But Mixon has been anything but impressive this season running behind a subpar run blocking offensive line, with 370 yards and three touchdowns on 127 carries. His 2.9 yards per carry average is dead last in the NFL for backs with at least 100 carries, just behind fellow rookie Christian McCaffrey and veterans Doug Martin and Jonathan Stewart.

Mixon rushed for only 29 yards on 17 carries when the two teams faced off in Cleveland in Week 4, one of three different games this season in which the former Oklahoma Sooner failed to top 2.0 yards per attempt.

After a strong start of the season with 79 yards on eight touches against the Ravens, Giovani Bernard continues to have zero fantasy value as the forgotten man in the Cincinnati backfield. Even with Jeremy Hill placed on injured reserve, Bernard is not getting enough volume in an already terrible ground game to garner any consideration in fantasy leagues.

The surprisingly stout Cleveland run defense is one of the few positives for this otherwise terrible team, limiting opposing running backs to just three rushing touchdowns on the season, with only one player reaching the century mark (Leonard Fournette last week.) The positive game script for the Bengals offense and the corresponding volume that Mixon will likely receive this week make him a decent start, but he is a touchdown-dependent play due to his inefficient play.

Value Meter:
QB1: Andy Dalton (Low-End)
RB2: Joe Mixon (Low-End)
WR1: A.J. Green (High-End)
WR4: Brandon LaFell (High-End)
TE1: Tyler Kroft (Low-End)

Prediction: Bengals 28, Browns 10 ^ Top

Packers @ Steelers - (Swanson)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Packers passing offense has been a dumpster fire since Aaron Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone, with only Davante Adams possessing any fantasy value with Brett Hundley under center. Hundley ranks 38th in fantasy points per game (12.9) in his four starts dating back to Week 7, with only one passing touchdown and one 20-plus fantasy point performance.

A prime-time game on the road against a Pittsburgh defense that allows the third-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks is not a favorable matchup for Hundley to begin to turn things around. No quarterback has thrown for more than two touchdowns against the Steelers, and the Pittsburgh defense is tied for fourth in interceptions forced after picking off Marcus Mariota four times last week.

With interceptions and holding onto the ball too long plaguing Hundley over the past month as a starting quarterback, the Steelers are primed for a monster defensive performance on Sunday Night.

The player hurt most by the loss of Aaron Rodgers is Jordy Nelson. Nelson caught six touchdown passes in five games of action with Rodgers under center, including a 19.5 point, two-touchdown game against the Bears in Week 4. With Hundley at the helm of the Green Bay offense, Nelson has 15.4 fantasy points combined in his last five games. It is difficult to see such a talented wide receiver go to waste near the end of his career, but at this point in the season, Nelson is not worthy of a start in a standard league.

With three double-digit performances over the past five weeks, Adams is the favorite target of Hundley and continues to have value as a No.3 WR. Although Adams has only two touchdowns during that span, his 27.5 target share and 28 % of the team’s targets makes him a valuable asset regardless of opponent.

PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30

Running Game Thoughts: Rookie Jamaal Williams earned the start at running back last week against the Ravens with Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones sidelined with injuries. Williams rushed 18 times for 57 yards, adding 38 yards on four receptions in the passing game. It was a pedestrian performance in a lopsided shutout loss against Baltimore, but Williams owners should be pleased with the number of targets the rookie from BYU received in the game.

The prospects for Williams having a big game this week are slim due to the fact that the Packers will be chasing points against a Steelers offense that is starting to gel. It also doesn’t help that the Steelers rank 26th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs and no running back has scored a touchdown against Pittsburgh since Week 5, and no running back has scored a touchdown in the passing game.

Safety Mike Mitchell was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and looks to be on pace to return to the field after missing last week’s game against the Titans with a sprained ankle. Mitchell’s presence as the hammer safety in the Steelers ground game is another negative factor working against Williams on Sunday Night.

Value Meter:
QB2: Brett Hundley (Low-End)
RB2: Jamaal Williams (Low-End)
WR3: Davante Adams (High-End)
WR5: Jordy Nelson (High-End)
TE3: Richard Rodgers (Low-End)

Passing Game Thoughts: Ben Roethlisberger posted his best game of the season last week against the Titans with a 299-yard, four touchdown performance in a 40-17 lopsided victory. The 32-point showing for Ben was his second consecutive strong game and evidence that the Pittsburgh pass offense is starting to come into form.

Antonio Brown reminded the fantasy world that he is still one of the best wide receivers (if not the best) in football with a three-touchdown performance, including a circus one-handed catch late in the fourth quarter. Brown is set to deliver another monster game against a Green Bay secondary that allows the eighth-most points to opposing wide receivers. Ten different wide receivers have scored at least ten points this season vs. the Packers, with No.1 WRs Julio Jones, A.J. Green, and Dez Bryant all having solid weeks against the Pack.

Injuries to key players in the Green Bay defensive unit will make an already tenable situation nearly impossible, with linebackers Nick Perry and Clay Matthews limited with foot and groin injuries, and defensive tackle Quinton Dial a limited participant in practice with a chest injury. Perry and Dial look to be on track to play, while Matthews may be more of a long shot after missing practice on both Wednesday and Thursday due to a groin pull.

Rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster looks questionable for Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury that has held the former USC Trojan out of practice on Wednesday. With Smith-Schuster likely limited or out for this game, a Martavis Bryant monster game at home in prime time could be in the cards.

GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32

Running Game Thoughts: The Pittsburgh Steelers rank 23rd out for 32 teams in combined fantasy points by running backs, a shocking development considering the dominance Le’Veon Bell has exhibited over the past few years at the RB position. Bell is still an elite option and should pay dividends this week against a unit that allows the 9th-most points to opposing defenses, but there is no denying the fact that he has been disappointing over the last four games with only one touchdown in his previous 95 carries.

A positive game script is in play for Bell to get a ton of second-half closing carries with the Steelers running away with this game. It was clear in the lopsided win over the Titans last week that Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh coaching staff was focused on getting Big Ben and the Steeler red zone passing game on track. It will not be a surprise if Tomlin uses this blowout win to get Bell and the running game going against a defensive unit that has allowed rushing touchdowns in four of the last five games.

Value Meter:
QB1: Ben Roethlisberger (Low-End)
RB1: Le’Veon Bell (Elite)
WR1: Antonio Brown (Elite)
WR3: JuJu Smith-Schuster (High-End)
WR: Martavis Bryant (Low-End)
TE4: Jesse James (Low-End)

Prediction: Steelers 35, Packers 14 ^ Top

Texans @ Ravens - (Swanson)

Passing Game Thoughts: To say that the Houston Texan pass offense has taken a turn for the worse without rookie Deshaun Watson would be a massive understatement, as Tom Savage has yet to pass for more than 230 and two touchdowns in a game after Watson led the league in fantasy points before his knee injury.

An immobile statue in the pocket with questionable accuracy and decision making, Savage has killed the fantasy value of every receiving option on the Texans not named DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins’ elite route running and ball skills mixed with one of the highest target percentages has allowed the pro bowl receiver to weather the storm and continue to be an elite fantasy option.

Hopkins faces a difficult challenge this week against a Baltimore secondary that allows the second-fewest points to opposing wide receivers. Although Davante Adams managed to rack up 126 yards on eight receptions last week, no other wide receiver has topped the century mark vs. the Ravens in 2017, and no WR has posted a multi-touchdown game.

BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8

Running Game Thoughts: An Achilles injury to D’Onta Foreman against Arizona last week was an unfortunate end to what turned out to be a monster performance for the former Texas Longhorn. Lamar Miller may see more carries in the absence of Foreman, but Bill O’Brien and the Houston coaching staff learned last season that high value for Miller does not always equate to high production. Alfred Blue could also get into the mix, as a heavy run game plan will likely be used against a Ravens team that is more susceptible the run than the pass.

The Ravens allow the 19th most points to opposing running backs on the season, although they have been much better over the last month with the return of a healthy Brandon Williams in the middle of the defensive line. With Savage prone to making mistakes and a Ravens secondary skilled in confusing quarterbacks and forcing mistakes, O’Brien will try to run early and often on Sunday.

Value Meter:
QB2: Tom Savage (Low-End)
RB2: Lamar Miller (Mid-Range)
WR1: DeAndre Hopkins (Low-end)
WR4: Bruce Ellington
TE2: C.J. Fiedorowicz (Low-End)

Passing Game Thoughts: Joe Flacco has not thrown for three or more touchdown passes in his last 14 games dating back to last season, and he ranks 40th in fantasy points per game (12.4). Only Houston’s Tom Savage has scored fewer fantasy points this season than Flacco, making this game toilet bowl matchup between to inept quarterbacks and passing offenses.

On a positive note for Flacco and his receiving weapons, the Texans allow the most points to opposing quarterbacks at 25.2 points per game. If Blaine Gabbert and Jacoby Brissett can post 20-plus performances against the Texans, it is not out of the realm of possibility for Flacco to do the same.

The return of Danny Woodhead as the receiving option out of the backfield was a boost for Flacco and the passing game, with the elusive receiving back catching five passes for 21 yards. Woodhead is a nice flex play, especially in PPR formats, while former receiving option Buck Allen appears to have little value now that Woodhead is back in the mix.

Veteran wide receives Jeremy Maclin and Mike Wallace are worthy of a start as No.3 wideouts with top 24 upside. Maclin has the higher floor as the more targeted WR over the past four weeks, while Wallace has the higher ceiling as at the deep threat. Wallace also appears to be heating up with a touchdown in each of his last two games.

HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5

Running Game Thoughts: If last week’s game against the Packers is any indication of how carries will be distributed going forward, Alex Collins is the unquestioned first and second down back for head coach John Harbaugh, with Danny Woodhead usurping Buck Allen as the receiving back on passing and third downs. Collins scored his first NFL touchdown last week as part of a 49-yard performance against the Packers while adding 22 yards on four receptions in the air.

Where the Texans are the worst team in points allowed to opposing wide receivers, they are very difficult to run on, and running backs have not found it easy to score rushing touchdowns. This could be partly due to the fact that teams focus on the weakness of the Texans and forgo the run, but it cannot be overlooked in that the Texans have allowed only one rushing touchdown on the season.

Woodhead could be the best running back play this week for Baltimore, as the Texans do have a weakness in allowing receiving touchdowns to RBs out of the backfield. After easing him into action after missing ten games with a severe hamstring injury, Woodhead could be fully unleashed against Houston.

Value Meter:
QB2: Joe Flacco (Low-End)
RB2: Alex Collins (Low-End)
RB3: Danny Woodhead (Mid-Range)
WR3: Jeremy Maclin (High-End)
WR3: Mike Wallace (High-End)
TE1: Ben Watson (Low-End)

Prediction: Ravens 17, Texans 14 ^ Top

Panthers at Jets - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: When we last saw Cam Newton two weeks ago, he was having his best game of the season. Newton threw for a season high four touchdowns and added a season high 95 yards on the ground. With a week off and a trip to face the Jets, it is all systems go for the Panthers offense this week. Helping Newton will be his top receiver, Devin Funchess. Newton has targeted Funchess at least six times in every game except Week 1. While Funchess has yet to eclipse 100 yards, he has been close his last two games with totals of 86 and 92. It remains to be seen how his target share will be impacted by the return of Newton’s old friend, Greg Olsen. The veteran TE has been on the shelf since he broke his foot in Week 2. He’s back and ready to go. He wasn’t doing much of anything when he went down, but it is hard, if not impossible, to compare what was happening in Week 2 to the situation now. Olsen should step right back into his old role, relegating Ed Dickson to the bench, and be a viable TE1 down the stretch. I would hesitate to deploy Olsen this week, though, as history is not kind to players coming off long layoffs. It would be prudent to wait a week if you can afford to do so.

NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7

Running Game Thoughts: Somehow, Jonathan Stewart rushed for 110 yards against Miami two weeks ago. JStew is done and one fluky performance is not going to change my thoughts on that. This is still the Christian McCaffrey show. CMac touched the ball a season low eight times in his last game, but still managed 50 yards and a touchdown both receiving and rushing. His usage has been relatively consistent and is floor is extremely high. The game script suggest McCaffrey’s ceiling could be limited this week as the Panthers project to control this game throughout and have the option to sit on a lead with Stewart. Under no circumstances would I consider starting Stewart and under no circumstances would I consider benching McCaffrey. You just need to temper expectations in a game the Panthers may not need to throw much, which is where McCaffrey does most of his work.

Value Meter:
QB1: Cam Newton (mid-range)
RB2: Christian McCaffrey (high end)
WR2: Devin Funchess (mid-range)
TE1: Greg Olsen (low end, but would leave on bench if possible)
Bench: Jonathan Stewart, Ed Dickson

Passing Game Thoughts: The Jets also had a week off, which should have helped old man Josh McCown, who had one of his weaker performances when we last saw him. McCown completed a season low 59% of his passes in a game where the Jets could only muster up one touchdown. Things don’t get much better this week as the Panthers defense has shut down weaker opponents all season. We’ll see if that can stop touchdown machine Robby Anderson, who has scored in four straight games. Anderson has caught more than four passes just once in a game all season, but his targets and usage have been consistent. The Jets are a low volume passing attack so Anderson’s ceiling will always be capped. If he doesn’t score, you may not like what you find. With that being said, there’s nothing wrong with Anderson as a WR3. Jermaine Kearse certainly isn’t a threat. The only other guy is TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He posted his highest yardage total of just 67. ASJ is not efficient, but he’s still useful in fantasy as a red zone target and checkdown man.

CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18

Running Game Thoughts: I have no idea what the Jets are doing with their running game and neither do the Jets. One week Matt Forte is back to being the lead dog and the next week he’s suddenly injured. One week Bilal Powell dominates touches and the next it’s Elijah McGuire. After seeing this backfield play out this season, I’ve reached the following conclusion: unless Forte is healthy, just bench them all. Forte has been effective as the lead back when given the volume, but he’s not healthy now. Even if he plays, we don’t need him at less than 100%; not at his age. I would need to be reasonable sure he’s a full go before sending him out there. Powell and McGuire can’t seem to figure out which one should take the reins. The Jets aren’t good enough to warrant trying to guess so go another route.

Value Meter:
WR3: Robby Anderson
TE1: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (low end)
Bench: Josh McCown, Jermaine Kearse, Jets RBs

Prediction: Panthers 27, Jets 13 ^ Top

Dolphins at Patriots - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: With Jay Cutler still in the concussion protocol, it looks like Matt Moore will make the start this week. Moore was dreadful in his last full game performance where he was a turnover machine against the Ravens on Thursday night. However, Moore isn’t typically that bad and it really doesn’t matter who plays QB for the Dolphins because they are not winning this game. For fantasy purposes, Moore starting is good news for Kenny Stills, who appears to be Moore’s favorite target. Stills posted a 5-65 line on 10 targets in the loss to Baltimore and then 7-180-1 last week, mostly with Moore. In a game that will feature a ton of passing due to the Dolphins trailing, Stills’ arrow is pointing upwards with Moore.

Jarvis Landry has double digit targets in all but two games this season. He’s also quietly scored a touchdown in six of his last seven games. His role remains unchanged as a high floor WR2. DeVante Parker has seen at least eight targets in every full game he’s played. He hasn’t scored since Week 3 (where he literally scored as time expired) and has mostly been a floor guy this season, not once displaying any semblance of a ceiling. The Patriots defense has been much improved as of late and even with the negative game script, I am not going to predict any sort of breakout. If Jay Cutler plays, just downgrade Stills. The prospects of Parker and Landry remain the same.

NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13

Running Game Thoughts: Kenyan Drake is the better player, but Damien Williams is the guy the coaches trust more. Williams has out-touched and out-snapped Drake in every game since Jay Ajayi was traded. Drake had looked like the better runner the first two weeks, but then managed just four yards on seven carries last week. Williams has aided by one huge run. Otherwise, he did a whole lot of nothing. With Williams operating as the pass catching back and the Dolphins projected to trail for the entirety of this game, Williams is the stronger play this week. Drake is still an option as well, just a less appealing one.

Value Meter:
WR2: Jarvis Landry (low end)
WR3: DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills (if Moore starts)
Flex: Damien Williams, Kenyan Drake
Bench: Jay Cutler, Matt Moore, Julius Thomas

Passing Game Thoughts: It happened again last week. We got a Brandin Cooks explosion. Cooks has been a high floor/high ceiling player this season, but he’s only flashed the ceiling twice. There could be a whole lot more to come as he continues to grow more comfortable with Tom Brady. Brady is currently dealing with a minor Achilles injury, which will not keep him out of Sunday’s game, but could lead to some errant throws if it bothers him. It is not a reason to consider benching Brady though. Rob Gronkowski missed some practice time with an illness. He will be fine to play, but his performance has been very un-Gronk-like. While lines like 4-74 and 4-80 aren’t bad, they are not what we expect from Gronk. He just hasn’t been that weekly edge at the position we’ve come to expect. Gronk is always a threat to score multiple times and post huge yardage totals, but he’s never been a high receptions guy and Brady is spreading the ball around more than usual this season. Obviously you are still starting Gronk. Chris Hogan is going to miss another game so fire up your Danny Amendolas, assuming he’s fully healthy. He’s been practicing on a limited basis, so I would expect him to play. He is coming off his best fantasy day of the season with 8-66-1.

MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6

Running Game Thoughts: Rex Burkhead committed the cardinal sin of fumbling last week. The Patriots recovered it, but the damage was done. Burkhead was left on the bench for an extended period of time. He ultimately got back in the game and there is still a deliberate attempt to use him. Burkhead is a weekly viable flex play. Dion Lewis is a weekly RB2. He led the backfield in snaps last week and now has double digit carries in five consecutive games. Lewis is a capable pass catcher and I don’t want to say a better runner than Burkhead, but he does things Burkhead cannot. He and Burkhead form a very effective duo. I say duo because that’s what this backfield has been reduced to (which is not a bad thing at all). James White’s role continues to be scaled back as the team leans more on Lewis and Burkhead. Last week, White didn’t catch a pass for the first time all season. Burkhead has better hands than White and can go over the middle while Lewis is better in the open field. White is a very good pass catcher, but that’s all he brings to the table while Burkhead and Lewis are effective runners as well. In a game where the Patriots are not going to necessarily need White, they likely will not use him much. His fantasy value is quickly evaporating.

Value Meter:
QB1: Tom Brady (high end)
RB2: Dion Lewis
WR1: Brandin Cooks (mid-range)
WR3: Danny Amendola
TE1: Rob Gronkowski (high end)
Flex: Rex Burkhead
Bench: Martellus Bennett, James White, Chris Hogan (shoulder)

Prediction: Patriots 31, Dolphins 13 ^ Top

Bears at Eagles - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: Discussing the Bears passing game reminds me of how I discussed the Giants running game for the better part of the last two years. There’s just nothing to discuss. Not a single member of this passing attack is fantasy viable. John Fox has no interest in letting Mitch Trubisky throw the ball. All of their good pass catchers are hurt. Dontrelle Inman is the only name to even keep floating around. He caught three passes for a team 43 yards last week. Trubisky only threw for 179 yards. Do not start anyone on the Bears passing attack.

PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16

Running Game Thoughts: Jordan Howard has been more useful than not this season, but largely volume dependent. The good news is John Fox does not care about the score or winning football games. Fox has a strategy for every game scenario. If the team is leading, pound Howard and sit on the lead. If the team is trailing, pound Howard and sit on the deficit. What does that even mean? I have no idea, but I’ve seen Fox do it enough times to know that he will keep doing it. The Bears will experience significant negative game script and Howard might be the worst pass catching RB in NFL history, but the 15 carry floor should remain.

The Eagles have the league’s best rushing defense, though, which could be a problem. Perhaps the Bears will utilize Tarik Cohen a little more. After he burst onto the scene in Weeks 1 and 2, Fox ignored him for the middle of the season before turning back to him last week where Cohen caught four of six targets for 15 yards and added 44 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Cohen is electric and explosive and deserves a 50% snap share. He probably won’t get it though. Nevertheless, Cohen is back on the fantasy radar, but I’d be hesitant to use him without seeing it again.

Value Meter:
RB2: Jordan Howard (low end)
Bench: All other Bears

Passing Game Thoughts: Carson Wentz was actually stymied for the entirety of the first half against Dallas last week. He ended up with season lows in pass attempts (27), completions (14), completion percentage (51.85%), and passing yards (168). He salvaged his fantasy day by extending is multi-touchdown streak to six games, hitting Torrey Smith and later Alshon Jeffery. Wentz wasn’t asked to do much against a Cowboys team incapable of moving the ball. He may find himself in a similar boat this week. Regardless, Wentz has displayed a very high floor and you are not even considering benching him.

Jeffery scored his fourth touchdown in three games and looks to have reestablished himself as a WR1. I’m still a bit skeptical because the yardage and reception counts aren’t where they were years ago. At minimum, though, Jeffery has solidified himself as an every week fantasy option. Nelson Agholor, on the other hand, has not. I absolutely take enjoyment in saying “I told you so” on Agholor. His early season touchdown barrage was fluky and unsustainable. In his last three games combined, Agholor has caught a total of six passes for 60 yards. Last week, he caught one pass and went backwards. He is the epitome of a touchdown or bust option. Zach Ertz’s double digit fantasy point streak came to an end against Dallas, largely because the game wasn’t close. Ertz has been super reliable all year. This was just a blip on the radar. He will be fine.

CHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29

Running Game Thoughts: The Eagles continue to have one of the league’s best rushing attacks but also continue to have a fantasy nightmare of a committee. I will say it again on Jay Ajayi – he is not an every week starter. He played a mere 13 snaps against Dallas. Ajayi has touched the ball exactly eight times in his first two games with the Eagles. Last week, LeGarrette Blount carried the ball 13 times and Corey Clement six times. Even Kenjon Barner touched the ball twice. The Eagles run a true three-man rotation and have no allegiance to any one player. For the past two weeks, Clement has been the most valuable option, but he hasn’t led the team in touches. Blount hasn’t fallen into the end zone. Ajayi has broken off a big run in each game. None of those things can be expected to remain consistent so, unfortunately, you can’t start any of them.

Value Meter:
QB1: Carson Wentz (mid-range)
WR2: Alshon Jeffery (mid-range)
TE1: Zach Ertz (high end)
Bench: Nelson Agholor, Eagles RBs

Prediction: Eagles 24, Bears 10 ^ Top

Titans @ Colts - (Gordon)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Steelers snapped Tennessee’s four-game winning streak last by intercepting Marcus Mariota four times last Thursday night. He did finish with over 300 yards passing once the garbage time was added in but everyone in the passing game suffered. Mariota has passed for fewer than two touchdowns in all but two games this season and can only be considered a match up based fantasy play at this point. After being burned early this season, Indy has been better against the pass lately; yielding less than 18 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks over the past three weeks. If Mariota isn’t supplementing his fantasy line with rushing stats, he’s a borderline fantasy starter. Delanie Walker has re-emerged as the most consistent pass catcher in this offense with at least eight targets in four of the past five games. He’s a must start tight end this week and every week moving forward. On the outside, rookie Corey Davis has received 17 targets over the past two weeks. With the Titans putting that much effort into getting him more involved, fantasy owners will want to keep him in the lineup in what should be a back and forth game. Meanwhile, Eric Decker has recorded more than four receptions in only one game this season and can’t be trusted.

IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10

Running Game Thoughts: DeMarco Murray didn’t run well last week and once again left the door open for Derrick Henry to outplay him. Routinely not following the open lanes, Murray didn’t look good on film this week. I don’t think his starting job is in jeopardy but the leash should be shorter in an important divisional matchup. Look for Murray to come out motivated against a Colts defense that has surrendered the fifth most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. Tennessee wasn’t shy about running the ball against the Colts last season and I expect them to have a similar game plan for this game. Until there is a real shift in the workload Henry is a boom or bust flex play for owners in deep formats.

Value Meter:
QB2: Marcus Mariota
RB2: DeMarco Murray
TE1: Delanie Walker
Flex: Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis
Bench: Derrick Henry, Eric Decker

Passing Game Thoughts: Indianapolis continues to make “getting by” the theme of their offense (sans Andrew Luck). The Colts stand at 3-7 and are on the outside of the playoff picture at this point so effort will be scrutinized down the stretch. Jacoby Brissett and the Colts tend to be in every game before coming up short when the final whistle blows. That type of effort has made a couple of Indy’s players intriguing fantasy options as we head into Week 12. Plucked of the Patriots roster at the outset of the season, Brissett has thrown two touchdown passes in each of the past three games. Even better, he has been effective enough to allow fantasy owners to deploy T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle almost every week. Doyle is coming off one of his worst outings of the year-two catches for nine yards-but should rebound nicely this weekend. The Titans have been one of the ten best opponents for fantasy tight ends this year and he has solidified himself as the second-best target with plenty of red zone upside. The rest of the depth chart behind Hilton gets sketchy quick so don’t spend too much time trying to mine any fantasy nuggets from this team.

TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.24

Running Game Thoughts: Indy isn’t going to scare anyone with the ageless Frank Gore leading the way, but they continue to get just enough out of their rushing attack to be a nuisance for opposing defenses. Gore has been a model of consistency with at least 16 carries and about 20 touches in each of the Colts’ past three games. He’s not finding the end zone, but he’s a solid blue collar flex his owners appreciate as the calendar nears December. He will be in the low end RB2/Flex tier once again this week and I’d give him the benefit of the doubt in most comparable cases. Marlon Mack is getting some work within the offense but it isn’t enough to allow him to be anything more than insurance to Gore owners.

Value Meter:
QB2: Jacoby Brissett
WR1: T.Y. Hilton
TE1: Jack Doyle
Flex: Frank Gore
Bench: Donte Moncrief, Marlon Mack, Kamar Aiken, Chester Rogers

Prediction: Titans 26, Colts 20 ^ Top

Buccaneers @ Falcons - (Gordon)

Passing Game Thoughts: Ryan Fitzpatrick will continue to lead the way for Tampa after picking up his second win in relief of Jameis Winston (shoulder). The grizzled vet hasn’t been a great fantasy option in the twilight of his career but he is doing a good job at limiting his interceptions with only one in three games. Mike Evans returned to his typical ball hogging ways by collecting double-digit targets last week after sitting out Week 10. As one would expect, his catch rate will continue to suffer but he remains a solid fantasy bet this week with the Bucs likely to be playing from behind. Tampa has scored the fifth most fantasy points at the TE position over the past five weeks. That has more to do with a lack of TE scoring across the NFL than it does with Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard. Brate hasn’t collected more than one pass in the past three games while Howard is streaky as ever. I tend to avoid any and all TE committee situations and the Bucs’ duo certainly qualifies. DeSean Jackson continues to knock on the door of being a legit weekly WR3 play but he can’t quite get over the hump. Unless your team lacks depth at the WR position, Jackson will be a touchdown dependent fantasy start against the Falcons.

ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27

Running Game Thoughts: Over past three weeks, Atlanta’s opponents have had better luck running the ball than throwing the ball. Unfortunately, Tampa Bay has scored the third fewest fantasy points by running backs over that same stretch making it difficult to get excited about Doug Martin. It’s not for a lack of trying because the Bucs have given Martin at least at least 18 carries in four of the past games. I suspect another quality workload is in store for the veteran given the issues surrounding the passing attack. That hasn’t translated into much production lately, but it does give him a better shot than most running backs sitting outside the top 25 this week. Martin put up 96 total yards against the Falcons in his only game against them last season but he isn’t getting as much work in the passing game these days. You may not want to but giving a guy with a solid chance for 20 carries isn’t a bad play as your RB2 or flex in many formats. Despite the lack of production from Martin, Tampa Bay has not been inclined to give more work to Jacquizz Rodgers or Charles Sims so both players carry zero fantasy value for Week 12.

Value Meter:
WR2: Mike Evans
RB2: Doug Martin
Bench: Everyone else

Passing Game Thoughts: Matt Ryan and the Falcons escaped Seattle with a huge road win to give their Wild Card prospects a boost. Despite the victory, Julio Jones owners continue to be disappointed after the star receiver finished another game without a touchdown. Matt Ryan was able to look beyond Jones and find success with Mohamed Sanu. Both players have seen their stock decline with the team’s scoring down from last season. However, the team has put up at least 27 points in its last two games and has a solid match up heading into the weekend. Tampa will try to shut down Julio-who has scored in three of his past four games against the Bucs. That will open the door for Sanu to have another opportunity to put up WR2 numbers this week. He’s a solid start in three-WR formats but merely an average Flex in leagues using only two WR slots. Overall, I do not think the passing game will need to do too much in this game. The good news is that there should be enough early production from Ryan and company to post decent fantasy lines in Week 12.

TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28

Running Game Thoughts: Devonta Freeman (concussion) missed practice Wednesday but was limited Thursday. His status for the weekend remains up in the air. Freeman is said to be feeling fine so he remains on track to be cleared in time to play Sunday. Be sure to monitor his status throughout the rest of the weekend just in case a setback was to keep him sidelined for another week. Tevin Coleman took on the lead role in Monday’s win but wasn’t able to find much room against Seattle’s tough run defense. I don’t think Atlanta will want Freeman handling the ball twenty times coming off a concussion so Coleman should see enough work to make him a low-end RB2 even if Freeman suits up. The Falcons should revert to a more balanced attack against a Tampa Bay team that should allow more room to run. If Atlanta is up by a good margin, they will also be more inclined to let Terron Ward get more work so don’t expect a monster performance out of any Falcon running back if everyone is healthy.

Value Meter:
QB1: Matt Ryan
RB2: Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman
WR1: Julio Jones
WR3: Mohamed Sanu
TE2: Austin Hooper
Bench: Taylor Gabriel, Justin Hardy, Terron Ward

Prediction: Falcons 31, Buccaneers 9 ^ Top

Bills @ Chiefs - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: The one-week Nathan Peterman experiment was a massive flop so the Bills will be back to Tyrod Taylor in Week 12, which should give a sigh of relief to fantasy owners who had been relying on Taylor, one of the league’s better running quarterbacks for the past few seasons. Taylor played only a portion of the game in Week 11 but was still able to throw for 158 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers while also adding 38 rushing yards and his third rushing score of the season. Taylor will be against a bad Kansas City secondary this week which ranks in the bottom-10 in the league in fantasy points per game on the season, and that’s after having two excellent games against the Broncos and Giants recently. The unfortunate thing is that practically the entire Bills receiving group, including tight end Charles Clay, are questionable heading into Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. It’s also worth noting that while Clay might be active, he has not been very good since coming back from his injury and he’ll be playing against a Kansas City defense that has only given up one touchdown to the position. Rookie Zay Jones, who led the team with four catches for 68 yards this past week, will likely be the healthiest option, although none of these players is a particularly tantalizing fantasy option.

KC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25

Running Game Thoughts: While he’s been frustratingly inconsistent, LeSean McCoy continues to be an RB1 on the season, especially after his 126-yard, two total touchdown performance against the Chargers this past week. Things look to be a little more difficult, at least on paper, this week as he’ll be running against a Chiefs defense that ranks in the middle of the pack in fewest fantasy points given up to opposing running backs, but the silver lining is that they’ve given up a rushing touchdown in five straight games while also giving up over 100 rushing yards to the position in five of their past six contests. The Chiefs are reeling and could be in for another close game this week, which would play right into McCoy’s usage, allowing him to be a quality RB1 option in this contest.

Value Meter:
QB1: Tyrod Taylor (low-end)
RB1: LeSean McCoy
Bench: Zay Jones, Kelvin Benjamin, Deonte Thompson, Jordan Matthews, Charles Clay

Passing Game Thoughts: The slide continued for the Chiefs this past week as they lost to a bad Giants team. It was the first time this season that the Chiefs failed to score a touchdown, and much of the blame can be placed on quarterback Alex Smith who had by far his worst game of the season, throwing for just 230 yards with two interceptions. He’ll look to bounce back in Week 12 against a Buffalo secondary that has been quite stingy against opposing quarterbacks, having given up just one 20-point day to the position all season. Of course, much of that has been because their run defense has been terrible and opposing teams haven’t needed to pass much, but the fact still remains that opposing quarterbacks haven’t been putting up great fantasy numbers against them.

BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20

This looks like another game where a quarterback might not need to pass much as the Chiefs will likely look to lean heavily on their running game, limiting Smith’s value to a solid floor, but low-ceiling QB1. The nice thing about the Kansas City offense is that we know who he’s going to throw the ball to - that being tight end Travis Kelce and top receiver Tyreek Hill. Kelce is running away as the top tight end in fantasy football for the second straight season and he’s scored a touchdown and/or had over 100 receiving yards in four straight contests, making him one of the best options on the board even when the Chiefs are struggling offensively. Meanwhile Hill continues to establish himself as a breakout receiver despite some off-and-on production. The Bills have given up the ninth-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers this season and without another viable receiver in the offense, Hill figures to benefit from what should be a good matchup.

Running Game Thoughts: Frustrations continue to mount for fantasy owners of Kareem Hunt, who burst onto the scene earlier this season as by far and away the early-season fantasy MVP but who has struggled to even produce RB2 numbers in a number of games since. Hunt has now failed to score a touchdown in seven straight games. While those numbers are startling for running back, the one constant has been that Hunt continues to see plenty of touches. He hasn’t had fewer than 13 touches in any game this season and he’s only had fewer than three catches once, making him one of the highest floor running backs in the league, especially in PPR formats. Hunt has had some great matchups along the way which should make fantasy owners a bit weary of overvaluing him heading into what, on paper, looks to be another excellent matchup, but we’re all waiting for another breakout performance. Hunt himself doesn’t necessarily look bad on film, so the potential for another huge game is certainly there against the Bills, who have given up the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season and who have given up an incredible nine rushing touchdowns over just their past three games. Buffalo is in a full on free fall defensively and this looks like the ideal matchup for Hunt to finally get back to being the elite RB1 that we saw him be earlier this season.

Value Meter:
QB1: Alex Smith (low-end)
RB1: Kareem Hunt
WR1: Tyreek Hill
TE1: Travis Kelce
Bench: Charcandrick West, Albert Wilson, De’Anthony Thomas, Demarcus Robinson

Prediction: Chiefs 28, Bills 17 ^ Top

Broncos @ Raiders - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: After giving the starting job to Trevor Siemian and then bringing back Brock Osweiler to start, it’s hard to believe that the Broncos have any confidence whatsoever in their Week 12 starter, Paxton Lynch. Lynch has been one of the most highly scrutinized early-round quarterback selections in recent memory and this will be the first time we’ll have a chance to see him get significant, meaningful playing time. While a road division game is always a tough place to start, a matchup against the weak Oakland secondary would seem to cushion what might otherwise be a dangerous situation. Denver’s passing game has been atrocious for most of the season and while their top two targets - Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders - have been performing relatively well, neither player is a strong play for now, at least until we can see what Lynch brings to the table. Thomas has scored touchdowns in three straight games after a long stretch of not scoring any touchdowns, further proving how fluky touchdowns can be at the wide receiver position, but don’t bank on him getting into the end zone again this week. Sanders is dealing with an ankle injury but did practice on Thursday and is expected to be ready to go on Sunday, barring any setback.

OAK FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
OAK FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
OAK FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
OAK FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9

Running Game Thoughts: C.J. Anderson got into the end zone for just the second time all season this past week in the Broncos’ home loss to the Bengals, but he rushed for fewer than 3.0 yards per carry on the day and has simply not been a productive runner this season. There is always the chance of a short yardage goal line carry but banking on Anderson as anything more than a Flex option is pretty risky at this point. The player to keep an eye on in this backfield is actually Devontae Booker who finally significantly out-snapped Anderson for the first time this season in Week 11, and was substantially more productive with his touches as he was able to make some nice plays in the passing game. Booker would seem to be a better fantasy option, especially in PPR formats, than Anderson at this point, but they’re likely to again split carries in what could be a murky backfield. The one positive is that the Raiders have been horrible at defending opposing running games this season so there should be at least some production that comes out of this backfield. Bet on Booker if you have the choice but both are fine Flex plays here in Week 12.

Value Meter:
Flex: Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Devontae Booker, C.J. Anderson
Bench: Paxton Lynch, Jamaal Charles, Bennie Fowler, Virgil Green

Passing Game Thoughts: The Derek Carr of 2016 seems to be a distant memory at this point as the young quarterback has now failed to exceed 15 fantasy points in six of his past seven starts. Even this past week, in what might be the best possible matchup at home against New England, Carr threw for just 237 yards, one score and an interception. His struggles have, of course, transferred over to his pass catching options, specifically Amari Cooper who did catch Carr’s only touchdown pass this past week but has been held to WR2 or worse numbers in every game this season aside from the one huge performance against Kansas City.

While the Denver secondary does not look like the unit it was in recent years, they’re still certainly capable of locking down opposing passing games. They did so earlier this season when they held the Raiders to just 249 passing yards and one touchdown back in Week 4. Crabtree does have the target share to justify being a WR2 but Cooper is nothing more than a boom-or-bust Flex option. Carr should be on fantasy benches this week in what looks to be a difficult matchup. A player in this passing game who should be in fantasy lineups this week is tight end Jared Cook who gets an excellent matchup against a Broncos defense that has given up the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends so far this season. Cook himself has been inconsistent but he does have a pair of 100-plus yard days over his past four games and he has one of the higher ceilings at the overall weak tight end position this week.

DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2

Running Game Thoughts: Game script hasn’t been kind to Marshawn Lynch this season but a matchup against a struggling Denver team with Paxton Lynch at quarterback would seem to be a recipe for a heavy dose of Lynch and the Oakland running game. Lynch doesn’t have the burst that he once did but he’s still one of the most powerful backs in the league which could be difficult on the Denver defense. While the Broncos have been good against the run this season, they’ve also had some major struggles as of late, including getting absolutely humiliated by both the Patriots and Eagles running games. Don’t look for Lynch to do that type of damage but a 15-to-20 carry day for 70-plus yards and a decent chance at a touchdown seems like a realistic outlook for the veteran.

Value Meter:
RB2: Marshawn Lynch (low-end)
WR2: Michael Crabtree
Flex: Amari Cooper
TE1: Jared Cook
Bench: Derek Carr, Jalen Richard

Prediction: Raiders 24, Broncos 17 ^ Top

Saints @ Rams - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: It’s hard to believe that Drew Brees might no longer be considered an elite fantasy option, but that’s the point we’re at. With the Saints shockingly having one of the league’s better defensive units, the offense has been able to pound the rock with the running game, leading to substantially fewer pass attempts per game for Brees and that alone has been the culprit for his weakened, but still solid, fantasy production. Brees finally had another big performance this past week, however, as he threw for 385 yards and a pair of touchdown passes, with one interception, against the Redskins in what ended up being a high-scoring contest.

We could be in for another game like that as the Saints will face one of the league’s most productive offenses, the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have, themselves, been excellent against opposing quarterbacks this season as they’ve given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the position along with only three games where the opposing quarterback has thrown for more than one touchdown pass. Brees has always been a player who’s able to overcome difficult matchups and still produce fantasy points so we shouldn’t be overly concerned about the matchup but there is some concern that the Rams are quite bad against the run and the Saints could again end up relying on their running game. Thus Brees moves from being a top-five option at the position down to more of a mid-level QB1. The nice thing is that Brees does seem to key in on his top target, Michael Thomas, who himself should be considered a WR1 despite having not scored a touchdown since Week 4.

LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19

Running Game Thoughts: The ridiculous breakout performances of the New Orleans running game continued this past week as Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara are now both top-five running backs on the season in PPR formats. Kamara, the pass catching specialist, has caught at least three passes in every game this season and he has an impressive 17 grabs over his past three contests. Meanwhile, Ingram sits atop the league, tied with Todd Gurley with eight rushing touchdowns on the season and he’s fourth in rushing yardage. This duo will now face a Los Angeles Rams run defense that has given up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. The Rams got ran all over by the Vikings this past week and that could very well happen again in Week 12. It’s rare to see a backfield where two players are viable weekly starters, let alone RB1’s, but that’s what the Saints have been able to accomplish. Deploy both Ingram and Kamara - even in non-PPR leagues - as RB1s this week.

Value Meter:
QB1: Drew Brees
RB1: Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara
WR1: Michael Thomas
Flex: Ted Ginn Jr.
Bench: Brandon Coleman, Coby Fleener

Passing Game Thoughts: After a shockingly great start to the season, Rams quarterback Jared Goff came crashing back down this past week in a tough road game against a good Vikings defense. The Rams were blown out in that loss, which typically means some garbage time fantasy production, but even that didn’t happen as Goff was held without a touchdown for just the second time all year. Now with top receiver Robert Woods out with a shoulder injury, things are looking a little shaky for this passing game going into a potentially difficult matchup against the Saints. The Saints have held opposing quarterbacks to 15 or fewer fantasy points in all but three games this season and while Goff has been very good, without Woods, it’s tough to trust him as anything other than a high-end QB2 in two-quarterback formats. With Woods out, it would seem to make sense that Sammy Watkins would become the top receiving option in this passing game, but that might not be the case. Instead, look for Cooper Kupp to step up and continue to build on the back-to-back six catch performances he’s had leading into this game. Kupp is a PPR-only option but he’s appealing in this matchup. Note that Saints DB Marshon Lattimore may miss this game with an ankle injury which would weaken the promising Saints secondary.

NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15

Running Game Thoughts: Todd Gurley continues to produce huge fantasy numbers this season and he is now the top-scoring running back in fantasy football. While the rushing yardage has been down over his past three games, Gurley continues to produce in the passing game and he’s tied with Mark Ingram, leading the league with eight rushing touchdowns on the season. The Saints rank middle-of-the-pack against the run which should give fantasy owners plenty of confidence in rolling out Gurley yet again as one of the top overall fantasy options on the board here in Week 12.

Value Meter:
QB2: Jared Goff
RB1: Todd Gurley
WR2: Cooper Kupp (PPR)
Bench: Sammy Watkins, Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett

Prediction: Saints 30, Rams 27 ^ Top

Jaguars @ Cardinals - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: It’s a great matchup against the Cardinals defense for Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars passing game here in Week 12, but don’t get too excited – it’s still Blake Bortles. The Jaguars QB has only thrown for 300 yards once this season and he’s only thrown more than one touchdown in a game once. There’s just not enough volume in this passing game to justify considering Bortles or most of these Jacksonville pass catchers. Dede Westbrook made his debut this past week, catching three passes for 35 yards. He may have value down the stretch, but for now the only real fantasy-worthy player in this passing game is Marqise Lee. Lee has been by far the Jaguars’ most effective receiver this season and has caught at least four passes in five straight contests. Unfortunately, he’ll likely be shadowed by cornerback Patrick Peterson who could effectively make him a non-factor in this contest.

ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14

Running Game Thoughts: As surprisingly good as the Jaguars have been this season, the only player in the Jacksonville offense who fantasy owners should be excited about starting is running back Leonard Fournette. While he continues to deal with an ankle injury and has himself admitted that he won’t likely be back to 100-percent until the offseason, Fournette trots forward as one of the best fantasy running backs in the league. Even after missing two games, Fournette ranks as an RB1 on the season and he’s topped 100 rushing yards in three of his past four contests while getting over 20 carries in each of those performances. The high usage makes Fournette a strong play in any game but especially against a struggling Arizona defense that just gave up a gigantic fantasy day to D’Onta Foreman, Lamar Miller and the Houston backfield this past week.

Value Meter:
RB1: Leonard Fournette
Flex: Marqise Lee
Bench: Blake Bortles, Dede Westbrook, Allen Hurns, Marcedes Lewis

Passing Game Thoughts: A three touchdown performance has secured Blaine Gabbert another week as the Cardinals starting quarterback despite the fact that he also threw two interceptions in Arizona’s Week 11 loss to the Texans. Unfortunately for him and everyone in this Arizona passing game, the Jaguars are not the same secondary as the one in Houston. While the Texans now rank dead last in the league in fantasy points given up to opposing quarterbacks, the Jaguars are all the way at the other end as the very best fantasy defense against opposing QBs. Jacksonville has given up just seven total passing touchdowns on the season while intercepting 13 passes. Needless to say, this is not a time to be trusting Gabbert. The only player in this passing game who should even be remotely on fantasy radars is wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who is primarily playing out of the slot these days which should allow him to avoid cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye for most of the afternoon. Fitzgerald has continued to produce even with the revolving door at quarterback in Arizona and while he’s unlikely to have a big game due to the overall poor production of the Arizona offense, he could very well pull in seven or more receptions, making him a decent enough WR2 in PPR formats.

JAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22

Running Game Thoughts: It’s been entirely boom or bust for running back Adrian Peterson since joining the Cardinals as the veteran tailback has either rushed for over 130 yards or under 30 yards in all five of his games as a Cardinal. Now facing the league’s top overall defense, it seems a lot more likely that Peterson will finish on the low end of that spectrum versus the high end. If the Cardinals can at least keep this game close on the scoreboard, however, there should be some touches for Peterson who has seen at least 15 touches in four of his five games as a member of the Cardinals. That alone makes him a viable RB2 option, at least in non-PPR formats.

Value Meter:
RB2: Adrian Peterson (low-end, non-PPR)
WR2: Larry Fitzgerald (PPR only)
Bench: Blaine Gabbert, John Brown, Jaron Brown, J.J. Nelson

Prediction: Jaguars 27, Cardinals 14 ^ Top

Seahawks @ 49ers - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: A matchup with any 49ers quarterback in recent memory against the Seahawks has not been ideal – and there's plenty to be concerned about with C.J. Beathard behind center, but there's at least some reason to be optimistic that some fantasy production might come in this game now that the Seahawks secondary is as banged up as it is. Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor will be out and Earl Thomas is not at 100-percent, thus the "Legion of Boom" is nowhere near its usual self. In fact, it's now reasonable to say the defensive secondary is a major spot of concern. Beathard himself is still a low-end QB2 at best but the hope comes in the form of wide receiver Marquise Goodwin who has become the defacto top receiver in San Francisco now that Pierre Garcon is out of the season. Goodwin hasn't caught more than five passes in any game this season but he's one of the league's most dangerous deep threats and is a touchdown threat anytime the ball is in the air and headed his direction. Goodwin is at best a flex option and he's one of the biggest potential busts, but he also has the chance to put up over 100 yards and a touchdown in this game. Consider him if you fell far behind after Thursday's games and are in need of a big game to make up for it.

SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23

Running Game Thoughts: The San Francisco offense is terrible as a whole but the one player from it who has made fantasy owners happy this season is running back Carlos Hyde. Hyde's high usage continues to make him a solid RB1 most weeks and he's being used more than ever before in the passing game as he has quietly become one of the better high-floor PPR options on a week-to-week basis. With Seattle reeling defensively, this might be a more competitive game than we would've assumed just a few weeks ago, and that certainly works in Hyde's favor. He rushed for a season-high 124 yards against the Seahawks back in Week 2 and there's really no reason to think that he won't again be the focal point of the offense.

Value Meter:
RB1: Carlos Hyde
Flex: Marquise Goodwin
Bench: C.J. Beathard, Matt Breida, Trent Taylor, Aldrick Robinson, George Kittle

Passing Game Thoughts: It should come as no surprise that the more Seattle relies on their superstar quarterback, the more they produce offensively. Russell Wilson has now taken over as the top-scoring fantasy quarterback in most formats and he's thrown for multiple touchdowns in seven of his past eight games. He's also been more efficient running the ball than he was a season ago, thus adding to his already high floor. While he struggled a bit against them earlier this season, Wilson is a no-brainer QB1 in this matchup against the 49ers. His top receiver, Doug Baldwin, has also been great as of late as he's finished with double-digit PPR fantasy points in five straight games. But the player who fantasy owners have been most excited about is tight end Jimmy Graham who is having a return to fantasy dominance this season. Graham has scored a whopping seven receiving touchdowns over his past six games and his usage seems to go up each and every week. Graham is locked in as an elite fantasy option right now, but it is worth considering that he was held to just one catch for one yard – by far his worst game of the season – when these teams squared off in Week 2.

SEA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.27
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11

Running Game Thoughts: With Thomas Rawls being a healthy scratch this past week, the already confusing Seattle running just keeps getting worse. The team now has five players who could potentially touch the ball at running back, depending on who's active – J.D. McKissic, Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy and Mike Davis. It's a true nightmare fantasy situation and one that should absolutely not be trusted, even against the league's worst fantasy defense against running backs – yeah, it's that bad. McKissic would seem to be the player most likely to get the most carries in this backfield but Pete Carroll just will not give us anything to go off of. It's anyone's guess as to who will lead this backfield in Week 12 and even then, the Seahawks are the only team all season who haven't scored 20 PPR points as a running back unit against the 49ers. Chances are that they'll make it two for two in bad performances, thus completely wasting this amazing matchup.

Value Meter:
QB1: Russell Wilson
WR1: Doug Baldwin
TE1: Jimmy Graham
Bench: J.D. McKissic, Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy, Mike Davis, Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett

Prediction: Seahawks 30, 49ers 16