Week 17 WR Rankings

1. Demaryius Thomas
2. A.J. Green
3. Desean Jackson
4. Brandon Marshall
5. Pierre Garcon
6. Josh Gordon
7. Dez Bryant
8. Eric Decker
9. Torrey Smith
10. Jordy Nelson
11. Alshon Jeffery
12. Andre Johnson
13. Antonio Brown
14. Keenan Allen
15. Kendall Wright
16. Vincent Jackson
17. T.Y. Hilton
18. Roddy White
19. Julian Edelman
20. Anquan Boldin
21. Larry Fitzgerald
22. Mike Brown
23. Cordarrelle Patterson
24. Denarius Moore
25. Danny Amendola
26. Michael Crabtree
27. Riley Cooper
28. Mike Wallace
29. Ted Ginn
30. Marvin Jones
31. Kris Durham
32. Robert Woods
33. Golden Tate
34. Michael Floyd
35. Brandon LaFell
36. Jerrel Jernigan
37. Harry Douglas
38. Rod Streater
39. Brian Hartline
40. Greg Jennings
41. Doug Baldwin
42. Dwayne Bowe
43. Randall Cobb*
44. Griff Whalen
45. Nate Burleson
46. Eddie Royal
47. Rueben Randle
48. Marques Colston
49. Hakeem Nicks
50. Marlon Brown
51. James Jones
52. T.J. Graham
53. Emmanuel Sanders*
54. Nate Washington
55. Mohamed Sanu
56. DeAndre Hopkins
57. Terrance Williams
58. Kenny Stills
59. Andre Holmes
60. Da'Rick Rogers
61. Jerricho Cotchery
62. Donnie Avery
63. Dexter McCluster
64. Ace Sanders
65. Aldrick Robinson
66. Jarius Wright
67. Jeremy Kerley
68. David Nelson
69. Marquise Goodwin
70. Lance Moore
71. Jacoby Jones
72. Justin Hunter
73. Stedman Bailey
74. Santana Moss
75. Kevin Ogletree
76. Rishard Matthews
77. Santonio Holmes
78. Tiquan Underwood
79. Greg Little
80. Chris Givens

Week 17 55 & 5 RB Rankings

1. LeSean McCoy
2. Eddie Lacy
3. DeMarco Murray
4. Matt Forte
5. Reggie Bush
6. Alfred Morris
7. Le'Veon Bell
8. Marshawn Lynch
9. Knowshon Moreno
10. Zac Stacy
11. Andre Brown*
12. Chris Johnson
13. Adrian Peterson*
14. Ryan Mathews
15. DeAngelo Williams
16. Chris Ivory
17. Frank Gore
18. Shane Vereen
19. Fred Jackson
20. Giovani Bernard
21. BenJarvus Green-Ellis
22. C.J. Spiller
23. Maurice Jones-Drew*
24. Jamaal Charles
25. Bobby Rainey
26. Danny Woodhead
27. Rashad Jennings
28. Steven Jackson
29. Donald Brown
30. Joique Bell
31. Andre Ellington
32. Pierre Thomas
33. Darren Sproles
34. Edwin Baker
35. Knile Davis
36. Montee Ball
37. Stevan Ridley
38. LeGarrette Blount
39. Ray Rice
40. Rashard Mendenhall
41. Shonn Greene
42. Jacquizz Rodgers
43. Jonathan Grimes
44. Matt Asiata
45. Lamar Miller
46. Peyton Hillis
47. James Starks
48. Daniel Thomas
49. Jordan Todman
50. Mike Tolbert
51. Kendall Hunter
52. Darren McFadden
53. Bilal Powell
54. Chris Ogbonnaya
55. Trent Richardson

#5 Reggie Bush - (#13 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

There are multiple red flags around Bush. He fumbled again last week and got benched. Joique Bell looked better. And he just flat out didn't look great. But on the season Bush has been very good more often than not. It might have a risk element involved but if Bush is playing I want him in my lineup.

#6 Alfred Morris - (#10 on Fantasy Pros)

After not getting more than 14 carries in RGIII's final three games of the season, he now has 18 and 24 in the two games with Cousins. That is no coincidence. I expect 20+ against the Giants. Even if their run defense isn't awful Morris will do fine.

#8 Marshawn Lynch - (#5 on Fantasy Pros)

Lynch is a must start of course, but he has slowed down considerably as the season wears on. He hasn't averaged more than 3.9 YPC in a game since week 11. He's always a great chance for a TD, but the yards haven't been there and don't expect them to be.

#11 Andre Brown - (#18 on Fantasy Pros)

I know Andre has let you down lately. He had two very tough matchups. You know what the Redskins are? Not tough. Trust me, He'll do well here.

#14 Ryan Mathews - (#9 on Fantasy Pros)

I'm always low on Mathews so maybe you should be taking that into consideration. But Woodhead was a bigger part of this offense early in the season and I don't believe he has disappeared. Mathews can be kept in check by that and I think it would be a major mistake by the Chargers to continue rolling Mathews out at 25 carries a game.

Quick Thoughts....I still really like Shane Vereen but teams have shown they can take him out of the equation. And I still believe in Stevan Ridley. I might be crazy though. If AP sits out, Matt Asiata moves to 26 or so. He scored 3 TDs but his YPC was about 2.0. He'll be lucky to get one TD here. Jamaal Charles may only play a few series, but if he can get to 10 carries he is a pretty good flex play still.

Week 16 QB Rankings

Slow to come, but they are here! Week 16 QB rankings. Do you start Kirk Cousins in a championship game?! In my opinion, you would have to have poor options to start a guy with so few starts.

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

#2 Cam Newton - (#5 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

The Saints have proven to be a fairly tough matchup for QBs this season. But I am not afraid. Cam scored 14 points in the first matchup despite throwing for just 148 yards. I highly doubt that happens again.

#3 Matthew Stafford - (#6 on Fantasy Pros)

Stafford has been awful in his last two games - 13 points combined. Before that he hadn't had fewer than 14 in a single game and had strung together 3 straight 20+ performances at one point. Don't let these last two games make you forget about the overall talent. Yes the Giants were really good against QBs for a period, but it was against backups. When they face starting QBs they are one of the worst defenses in the league. In fact, they are third worst if you take out the 4-game stretch where they faced: Freeman, Barkley, Pryor, Tolzien.

#4 Colin Kaepernick  - (#8 on Fantasy Pros)

I don't feel as good about this one as I do the other two, but it is a fantastic matchup for Kaep. He has been very solid since Crabtree came back: 17, 12, 20 points with the 12 being against Seattle. At home against Atlanta? 20+ points is reasonable.

#6 Drew Brees - (#3 on Fantasy Pros)

Brees ended up with 19 points last week in a standard ESPN league, continuing the trend where he does not score more than 20 in an away matchup. (He has scored 19 on four separate occasions) Last week was destined for failure until he saved it in the last quarter. This week it is a tougher matchup and I really can't see him having a huge game here. I'd put him in the 15-18 point range.

#8 Nick Foles - (#2 on Fantasy Pros)

I know, Nick Foles has been amazing. But the Bears allow the 7th fewest points to QBs since their bye in week 8. In 7 games since, QBs have averaged 11.57 points a game in a standard league. That's the same as the aforementioned Panthers. I do like Nick Foles, but if you happen to have Jay Cutler, Kaepernick or Rivers, I'm starting them first.

Quick thoughts...Going deeper, I hate myself for it, but I couldn't help but rank Andy Dalton pretty favorably. The Vikings haven't allowed fewer than 18 points since Week 7 when they faced the terrible Giants. Ryan Fitzpatrick is in a similar situation against the Jags. 6 of their last 7 games, opposing QBs have scored 18+. The Dallas/Washington game seems like a shootout on paper, but I'm not very trusting of either QB. Tony Romo has been pretty bland lately and his worst fantasy game in 2013 came against Washington (8 points). Meanwhile I have no interest in playing Kirk Cousins based off of one good game. People did that with Case Keenum and while he did have a second game, we saw what he has become. Speaking of Keenum, I think Matt Schaub has a great chance for a big game if you need a hail mary. Further, I did not intentionally rank three Matt's in a row, but I thought it was funny. If you check Fantasy Pros, all five Matt's starting at QB are ranked consecutively. I love the weird stuff like that.

Week 16 WR Rankings

1. Calvin Johnson
2. A.J. Green
3. Dez Bryant
4. Alshon Jeffery
5. Josh Gordon
6. Brandon Marshall
7. Demaryius Thomas
8. Antonio Brown
9. Desean Jackson
10. Vincent Jackson
11. Andre Johnson
12. Keenan Allen
13. Pierre Garcon
14. Kendall Wright
15. Eric Decker
16. Jordy Nelson
17. Julian Edelman
18. Michael Crabtree
19. Greg Jennings
20. Mike Wallace
21. Dwayne Bowe
22. Marques Colston
23. Torrey Smith
24. Riley Cooper
25. T.Y. Hilton
26. Michael Floyd
27. Anquan Boldin
28. Danny Amendola
29. Brian Hartline
30. Robert Woods
31. Cordarrelle Patterson
32. Larry Fitzgerald
33. Roddy White
34. DeAndre Hopkins
35. Andre Caldwell
36. Jacoby Jones
37. Rod Streater
38. Harry Douglas
39. Steve Smith
40. Doug Baldwin
41. Marvin Jones
42. Denarius Moore
43. La'Von Brazill
44. Emmanuel Sanders
45. Golden Tate
46. Brandon LaFell
47. Ace Sanders
48. Jarrett Boykin
49. Aldrick Robinson
50. Nate Burleson
51. Hakim Nicks
52. Andre Holmes
53. James Jones
54. Ted Ginn
55. Dexter McCluster
56. Justin Hunter
57. Rueben Randle
58. Marlon Brown
59. Tiquan Underwood
60. Jarius Wright
61. Jerricho Cotchery
62. Marquise Goodwin
63. Miles Austin
64. Eddie Royal
65. Chris Givens
66. Jerrel Jernigan
67. Da'Rick Rogers
68. Kris Durham
69. Jeremy Kerley
70. Kenny Stills
71. Nate Washington
72. Jerome Simpson
73. Aaron Dobson*
74. Rishard Matthews
75. Lance Moore
76. Mike Brown
77. Mario Manningham
78. Vincent Brown
79. Greg Little
80. Jason Avant

#5 Josh Gordon - (#2 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

Obviously at #5 Gordon is considered a must start. And that he should be. But even the greatest (Calvin) WRs slow down at some point during a season. His worst game (by quite a margin) over the last five is 67 yards and a TD. Thats as bad as its been. Even so, a game without a TD has to come eventually right?

#10 Vincent Jackson - (#15 on Fantasy Pros)

I really like Vincent Jackson here. Its not the greatest matchup, but Jackson played well vs San Fran last week and its certainly a better matchup than that. He should get 10+ targets and do well with them.

#13 Pierre Garcon - (#9 on Fantasy Pros)

This one depends to some extent on how much you like Kirk Cousins. One game will not sway me. He is still a backup with very little experience on his hands. Sometimes that is to your advantage early on in a career, but it can also be exploited. Its not a tough matchup obviously, but I am a little cautious on Garcon.

#14 Kendall Wright - (#21 on Fantasy Pros)

Mr. Consistency this year rarely has a monster game, but this is one where he could. And if not, its probably going to be 6 catches for 70 yards. Its a situation where there is very little risk in starting him with potential for a lot more. He might be more likely to fall in the 6-8 point range than anyone else in the top 20, but in the 10-20 rankings he is also probably the surest bet to at least get you 5 points and a very good chance at 10. I actually included some math/probability to explain this one to you!

#19 Greg Jennings - (#28 on Fantasy Pros)

To start Jennings would be to play risky. This was the 2nd huge scoring game for Jennings with Matt Cassel starting. In 5 games with Cassel starting, here are Greg Jennings targets: 4, 10, 9, 10, 13. That is pretty good. And the 4 target game? That ended with 3 catches for 92 yards and 2 TDs. In addition all 4 of Jennings' TDs on the season come from Cassel. That said, its still the Vikings, Cassel and Jennings so there is some risk here, but they certainly have a good chemistry so its worth a shot.

Quick thoughts: I do like Keenan Allen a lot, but you have to be somewhat concerned about the fact that he has 4 TDs on just 5 catches the past two games. Without more catches, that is not going to continue. I hate myself for ranking Mike Wallace so high as this is the kind of game that he would let you down in - BUT it is a seemingly great matchup for him. Riley Cooper is another boom/bust player with high upside this week. As always, you have to realize there is always a chance for a dud when starting guys like him and Wallace. I really like both 49ers receivers this week. Well when I say "really", I'm not super high on either, but they are both startable, which is more than can be said at any other point this year for 49ers WRs. With Stevie Johnson out, I am pretty bullish on Robert Woods. Not a great matchup but with EJ playing he will be the clear favorite target. Awful matchup for Larry Fitzgerald. He had just 17 yards against Seattle earlier in the season. The Cards as a whole are playing much better now which is why he is ranked even this high, but I still don't want to start him. Guys with sleeper potential outside the top 40: Aldrick Robinson, Rueben Randle, Marquise Goodwin, Miles Austin, Jerrel Jernigan. I'm betting one of those two Giants listed does well. Jernigan was the preferred receiver last week, but I still imagine Randle will get the start in Cruz's place.

Week 16 55 & 5 RB Rankings - The Playoffs!

1. Jamaal Charles
2. Matt Forte
3. LeSean McCoy
4. DeMarco Murray
5. Adrian Peterson*
6. Reggie Bush
7. Zac Stacy
8. Alfred Morris
9. Le'Veon Bell
10. Eddie Lacy
11. Frank Gore
12. Knowshon Moreno
13. Chris Johnson
14. Rashad Jennings
15. Marshawn Lynch
16. Giovani Bernard
17. Andre Brown
18. Fred Jackson
19. Bobby Rainey
20. Shane Vereen
21. Ryan Mathews
22. Maurice Jones-Drew*
23. Pierre Thomas
24. Steven Jackson
25. C.J. Spiller
26. Chris Ivory
27. Danny Woodhead
28. Darren Sproles
29. Rashard Mendenhall
30. Ray Rice*
31. Stevan Ridley
32. Dennis Johnson
33. Montee Ball
34. DeAngelo Williams
35. Lamar Miller
36. Andre Ellington
37. Joique Bell
38. Trent Richardson
39. Edwin Baker
40. Donald Brown
41. Daniel Thomas
42. BenJarvus Green-Ellis
43. Jordan Todman (top 20 if/when MJD is ruled out)
44. Mike Tolbert
45. Jacquizz Rodgers
46. Bilal Powell
47. Chris Ogbonnaya
48. Michael Bush
49. Bernard Pierce
50. Shonn Greene
51. James Starks
52. Robert Turbin
53. Benny Cunningham
54. Willis McGahee*

#5 Adrian Peterson - (#11 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

Look, if Adrian Peterson is in, you have to start him. I think his consensus rank is low beacuse some people are assuming he doesn't play. I am assuming he plays and if he does he will be fine.

#6 Reggie Bush - (#14 on Fantasy Pros)

Reggie Bush continues to play much better at home. Even last week against the Ravens, it was quiet, but another 100 total yards and a TD. Bush averages 16.7 points per home game. He faces the Giants. Enough said.

#9 Le'Veon Bell - ( #6 on Fantasy Pros)

I really like Bell. It appears everyone else likes him even more. I think his ceiling is somewhat limited by the fact that in the current offense he won't average 5.0 YPC. Even against the Packers a 4.0 YPC would be a good game. His real value comes in TD potential and volume of touches. Because of that I will never rank him super high, but I do like him a lot.

#10 Eddie Lacy - (#5 on Fantasy Pros)

In the battle of the two best rookie RBs, I like Lacy a little less while the consensus likes him a little more. He is a good play no doubt, but I was impressed with how well the Steelers held the Bengals RBs in check last week. I like him, just don't expect a huge game.

#12 Knowshon Moreno - (#7 on Fantasy Pros)

This isn't an overreaction to how poorly Moreno played last week but more of a belief that as the season winds down, Montee Ball will get more touches as they want to keep Moreno as healthy as possible for the playoffs. He is still their best RB without a doubt.

#15 Marshawn Lynch - (#10 on Fantasy Pros)

The Cardinals continue to be the best fantasy defense against RBs. They are a little vulnerable to pass-catching RBs, which Lynch is not. (This year is Lynch's most rec yards ever at 307) He might get a TD, but he also might only have 50 yards. Not a huge fan.

Quick Thoughts...Possibly overreacting to Shane Vereen but when you don't really run the ball much, you can be factored out. Sproles and Woodhead have proven that as well...Really disappointed in CJ Spiller last week. This ranking reflects that, you would need to be out of good options elsewhere to trust him in your lineup. Dennis Johnson is starting for the Texans this week but I'm not too interested. The Texans are a mess, its a big risk.

Week 15 QB Rankings

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

Disclosure: These rankings obviously exclude Peyton Manning, who already played. It was a below average game for Peyton, but I have no doubt I would have ranked him #1.

#3 Drew Brees - (#1 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

I just tweeted this: Drew Brees has scored 20+ in 6 of 7 home games this year. He has not scored 20+ in ANY road game. The Rams are a tough opponent. Brees will probably get 17-20, but its not going to be a monster game.

#6 Matt Ryan - (#8 on Fantasy Pros)

I really like Matt Ryan this week. I've said a number of times that Matt Ryan has played much better at home this year. Unfortunately he hasn't had a chance to back that stat up much since the Julio Jones injury. He's only had 3 home games in the past 8. The first one was against Tampa WITHOUT Julio or Roddy and he still threw 3 TDs passes. The other two games were against very tough Seattle and New Orleans. He didn't do much, but he didn't make mistakes either (no ints). He has a great matchup here.

#8 Colin Kaepernick - (#13 on Fantasy Pros)

I struggled with this ranking, because I actually do have respect for the Bucs defense. The reason I put him so high is because the Bucs have allowed 4 rushing TDs to QB, tied with two other teams for the most in the league. Revis can lock up one of Crabtree/Boldin, but Kaep will still have the other to throw to. He should be fine.

#10 Tony Romo - (#5 on Fantasy Pros)
Its been several weeks since Romo had a big game of 20+ points. This is despite several favorable matchups. The Packers are another and he has a decent chance to do well, but I'd rather play a number of other guys. Romo is just too up and down.

#11 Ryan Tannehill - (#14 on Fantasy Pros)
Tannehill has proven himself one of the most reliable options when playing at home. He has scored between 13-17 points in every home game. I see no reason why the Patriots would be the team to put him below that mark. There might be guys ranked below Tannehill with more upside, but there are none with a more reliable track record where you should feel great about 15+.

Week 15 WR Rankings

1. Demaryius Thomas
2. Calvin Johnson
3. Josh Gordon
4. Andre Johnson
5. Dez Bryant
6. A.J. Green
7. Desean Jackson
8. Brandon Marshall
9. Keenan Allen
10. Antonio Brown
11. Eric Decker
12. Alshon Jeffery
13. Larry Fitzgerald
14. Torrey Smith
15. Vincent Jackson
16. Jordy Nelson
17. Pierre Garcon
18. Riley Cooper
19. Golden Tate
20. Kendall Wright
21. T.Y. Hilton
22. Michael Floyd
23. Harry Douglas
24. Dwayne Bowe
25. Julian Edelman
26. Roddy White
27. Stevie Johnson
28. Marques Colston
29. Victor Cruz
30. Cecil Shorts
31. DeAndre Hopkins
32. Rod Streater
33. Anquan Boldin
34. Emmanuel Sanders
35. Cordarrelle Patterson
36. Steve Smith
37. Danny Amendola
38. Nate Burleson
39. Denarius Moore
40. Ace Sanders
41. Brian Hartline
42. Michael Crabtree
43. Doug Baldwin
44. Mike Wallace
45. Jerricho Cotchery
46. Da'Rick Rogers
47. Hakeem Nicks
48. Ted Ginn
49. Marlon Brown
50. Justin Hunter
51. Dexter McCluster
52. Kenny Stills
53. Greg Jennings
54. Rueben Randle
55. Brandon LaFell
56. Marvin Jones
57. James Jones
58. Miles Austin
59. LaVon Brazill*
60. Tiquan Underwood
61. Jacoby Jones
62. Jeremy Kerley
63. Jarrett Boykin
64. Keshawn Martin
65. Chris Givens
66. Terrance Williams
67. Jerome Simpson
68. Robert Woods
69. Lance Moore
70. Santonio Holmes
71. Andre Holmes
72. Kris Durham
73. Tavon Austin
74. Eddie Royal
75. Nate Washington
76. Greg Little
77. Marquise Goodwin
78. Mario Manningham
79. Mohamed Sanu
80. Andre Caldwell

#4 Andre Johnson  - (#8 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

I ranked Andre #2 last week and while he didn't score a TD, he led the league in yards, so I'm pretty happy with that. This week it is another solid matchup. Despite the turmoil around this team, Andre has been his usual self this year and has 10+ points in 4 of the last 5, and 8+ in 6 of the last 7.

#9 Keenan Allen - (#12 on Fantasy Pros)

I really like this matchup for Keenan. Denver has some talented players in its secondary, but when you force the opposing team to throw 50 times, the good players get theirs. And Allen is so much better than any other (healthy) wide receiver on this team.

#12 Alshon Jeffery - (#5 on Fantasy Pros)

I am usually low on Alshon, so take this with a grain of salt. But I think Joe Haden will go between both WRs and there is a good chance if he isn't on Jeffery, Jeffery will face double coverage. It will be interesting to see how this goes for the Bears, but I think if you own Jeffery you pretty much have to start him.

#13 Larry Fitzgerald - (#17 on Fantasy Pros)

After a disappointing first half of the year, Fitz has been red hot of late. While he isn't getting lots of yardage, he has 5 TDs in his last 4 games. This week they face a tough Titans defense. But the Broncos showed us they can be beat. While Carson Palmer is not a great QB, he is good enough and these WRs are too good for something to not happen here.

#18 Golden Tate - (#39 on Fantasy Pros)

I guess this is my big prediction of the week, although I didn't even think it was super bold when I made it. The Giants are susceptible to better QBs. And without Harvin, Golden Tate is the best receiver they have. I can easily see him getting a few big catches in this game and having a big day.

Quick Thoughts...Maybe I'm just stubborn, but I still like Harry Douglas more than Roddy White. He is still getting a solid number of targets and I think he has big play ability. I like Stevie Johnson if you are looking for someone a bit off the radar. This is his best chance for a big game the rest of the season. Cordarrelle Patterson has entered startable territory. They are getting him involved and it is working. Good desperation plays in order: Da'Rick Rogers, Ted Ginn, Justin Hunter, Kenny Stills. I bet at least one of these guys has a 14+ point day.

Week 15 55 & 5: The RB Rankings

1. Jamaal Charles
2. Matt Forte
3. LeSean McCoy
4. Marshawn Lynch
5. Knowshon Moreno
6. Shane Vereen
7. Eddie Lacy*
8. Reggie Bush*
9. DeMarco Murray
10. Alfred Morris
11. Steven Jackson
12. C.J. Spiller
13. Zac Stacy
14. Danny Woodhead
15. Andre Brown
16. Le'Veon Bell
17. Fred Jackson
18. Toby Gerhart*
19. Rashad Jennings
20. Maurice Jones-Drew*
21. Andre Ellington
22. Chris Johnson
23. Frank Gore
24. Giovani Bernard
25. Pierre Thomas
26. Bobby Rainey
27. Ryan Mathews
28. Darren Sproles
29. Ray Rice
30. BenJarvus Green-Ellis
31. Ben Tate
32. Montee Ball
33. Joique Bell
34. Chris Ivory
35. Stevan Ridley
36. Chris Ogbonnaya
37. Rashard Mendenhall
38. Donald Brown
39. Jordan Todman
40. Marcel Reece
41. Lamar Miller
42. Jacquizz Rodgers
43. DeAngelo Williams
44. Mike Tolbert
45. Shonn Greene
46. Trent Richardson
47. James Starks
48. Daniel Thomas
49. Benny Cunningham
50. Peyton Hillis
51. Jonathan Stewart
52. Knile Davis
53. Michael Bush
54. Joseph Randle
55. Bernard Pierce

#6 Shane Vereen - (#10 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)
Without Gronk last week, Vereen was the target with the game on the line. He is a must start this week and should put up big numbers again.

#8 Reggie Bush - (#16 on Fantasy Pros)
If Reggie Bush is in, you are starting him and not thinking twice about it. He loves the home matchups. Baltimore is vulnerable to pass-catching RBs. I expect a typical 100 total yard and a TD day for Bush if he plays.

#9 DeMarco Murray - (#4 on Fantasy Pros)
If you have Murray you are almost certainly starting him. But I don't see this as a fantastic matchup like many do. Its a worse matchup than last week, and while Murray did very well, I wouldn't expect much more than 100 yards here. Anything on top of that is icing on the cake.

#11 Steven Jackson - (#14 on Fantasy Pros)
Am I crazy here? Maybe. But Steven Jackson has looked solid lately. Over the past three weeks he has had at least 80 total yards in each game as well as three touchdowns. This matchup is the best yet. For an aging Steven Jackson this may end up being his last great game. We'll have to see how it plays out.


#12 C.J. Spiller - (#23 on Fantasy Pros)
I am back on my C.J. Spiller love train! The Jags have been a shutdown defense lately, but I have a really good feeling about C.J. Spiller this week. If the Bills are going to win, they need to get their run game going this week, that was proven last week. Fred Jackson does the dirty work, the short yard gains and all that. But Spiller lights it up and I strongly believe the Jags are a great defense to get a 50 yard+ carry. Thats all it takes for the man.

#13 Zac Stacy - (#8 on Fantasy Pros)
Another somewhat tough matchup for Stacy. He got a touchdown last week but not much else. In addition, his role in the passing game has been shut down. He has 4 catches for -4 yards over the past 2 weeks. He is a decent shot for a touchdown, but anything over 60-70 yards here would be a success.

#14 Danny Woodhead - (#30 on Fantasy Pros)
Woodhead is coming off a 90 yard game with a TD. I cannot imagine why people would rank him so far down. The Broncos have given up 5 rec. TDs to running backs on the season. Woodhead is more likely than any other RB out there to add to that list. I expect a big passing game, and Woodhead will be integral to that.

Quick thoughts...I'd really like to avoid playing Andre Brown if it can be helped. I expect the Giants to fall behind quickly, eliminating much of the running game. Assuming Toby Gerhart plays, he is a decent flex. He performed admirably after Peterson went down last week. As much as I like Spiller, I also feel like Andre Ellington has a great chance for a big run as well. I love the upside and I would play him over Chris Johnson who faces the Cards - the #1 fantasy D vs RBs. Its not a bad matchup for Bobby Rainey but I'm not high on him. After his 80 yard run, Rainey struggled heavily last week. If you're desperate, take a flier on Stevan Ridley if he got dropped. I think he comes back as the main rusher for NE, not that it means too much right now. Jordan Todman is another one worth adding. He would be good if MJD is ruled out.

Week 14 QB Rankings

So normally I don't rank QBs before the Thursday games, but this week was an even easier deicision as that game showed us some of the worst QBs in the game. Luckily, Sunday will be a lot different. With playoffs on the line, I find it very hard to trust Romo after he was a letdown again. Keep that in mind.

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

#3 Drew Brees/#5 Nick Foles - (#5/#3 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)
Foles has played at an amazing level this year without a doubt. This week he has another great matchup against the generous secondary of the Lions. However this is Drew Brees we are talking about, and Drew Brees at home! Brees has an excellent 19:3 TD:INT ratio at home. This includes tough matchups vs the Cards and 49ers where he threw for over 300 yards in both. The Panthers should be no problem.

#8 Ryan Fitzpatrick - (#15 on Fantasy Pros)
This is another one of those rankings that is aggressive and could pay off or could end poorly, so keep that in mind. But he has had some decent games. We've seen QBs like Alex Smith or even Tony Romo step up and play their best against Denver. Fitzpatrick can do that as well.

#11 Tony Romo - (#8 on Fantasy Pros)
Romo is so frustrating. He has a great matchup last week and really let me down. This week the matchup is much less enticing. He could very easily do well, but I'm not confident.

Deeper Thoughts: As you can see, very little faith in Andrew Luck. Its another bad matchup and he has really been average since Wayne got hurt. Joe Flacco is probably your best bet in the unowned tier of QBs after Fitzpatrick. Its a good matchup and one where I could see him getting a few deep balls off. Colin Kaepernick has played well lately, but I want absolutely no part of him against the Seahawks. No. Way.

Week 14 WR Rankings

1. Calvin Johnson
2. Andre Johnson
3. A.J. Green
4. Brandon Marshall
5. Dez Bryant
6. Josh Gordon
7. DeSean Jackson
8. Torrey Smith
9. Vincent Jackson
10. Alshon Jeffery
11. Antonio Brown
12. Demaryius Thomas
13. Jordy Nelson
14. Mike Wallace
15. Wes Welker
16. Victor Cruz
17. Pierre Garcon
18. Larry Fitzgerald
19. Keenan Allen
20. Kendall Wright
21. Eric Decker
22. Cecil Shorts
23. T.Y. Hilton
24. Harry Douglas
25. Michael Floyd
26. Dwayne Bowe
27. DeAndre Hopkins
28. Riley Cooper
29. Rueben Randle
30. Rod Streater
31. Roddy White
32. Danny Amendola
33. Julian Edelman
34. Nate Burleson
35. Nate Washington
36. Steve Smith
37. Golden Tate
38. Brian Hartline
39. Michael Crabtree
40. Hakeem Nicks
41. Anquan Boldin
42. Brandon LaFell
43. Marques Colston
44. Dexter McCluster
45. Emmanuel Sanders
46. Kris Durham
47. Doug Baldwin
48. Ace Sanders
49. Ted Ginn Jr.
50. Jacoby Jones
51. Stevie Johnson
52. James Jones
53. Andre Holmes
54. Miles Austin
55. Chris Givens
56. Robert Woods
57. Marvin Jones
58. LaVon Brazill
59. Greg Jennings
60. Marquise Goodwin
61. Kenny Stills
62. Terrance Williams
63. Tavon Austin
64. Jerricho Cotchery
65. Jarrett Boykin
66. Jerome Simpson
67. Santana Moss
68. Justin Hunter
69. Cordarrelle Patterson
70. Lance Moore
71. Tiquan Underwood
72. Eddie Royal*
73. Brian Quick
74. Marlon Brown
75. Santonio Holmes
76. Mohamed Sanu
77. Donnie Avery
78. Mario Manningham
79. Rishard Matthews
80. Greg Little
81. Jarius Wright
82. David Nelson
83. Andre Roberts
84. Stedman Bailey
85. T.J. Graham
86. Jason Avant
87. Kenbrell Thompkins
88. Darrius Heyward-Bey
89. Mike Brown
90. Darius Johnson

#2 Andre Johnson - (#7 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

Not afraid of the Thursday game. And I'm not sure if you noticed but the Jags just got destroyed by a #1 WR. That could very easily happen again here. Its possible the Texans continue to suck, but I think they can play well here and they should.

#8 Torrey Smith - (#11 on Fantasy Pros)

The knock on Torrey in the middle weeks was that he wasn't getting TDs. He now has 3 in his last 4 and has a great matchup. Strangely his yards have come down a bit as he started to score, but this is a matchup where he could and should put up big yards and get a score as well.

#10 Alshon Jeffery - (#5 on Fantasy Pros)

Obviously a very solid matchup for Jeffery and he has become a great WR no doubt. But I will continue to be adamant about the fact that he is second to Marshall, and that means that most weeks only one of these guys is going to be great. In a bad matchup, Marshall should flourish, which will cost Jeffery a bit, but he is still very good as well.

#13 Jordy Nelson - (#18 on Fantasy Pros)

Its hard to say whether the hate on Jordy has gone too far. Without Aaron Rodgers, its always a risk to start him. Against the Falcons though? I have to believe someone ends up doing well here, and the odds favor the best receiver, and that is Jordy.

#14 Mike Wallace - (#26 on Fantasy Pros)

I know, I must be crazy right? This could go down as one of my worst rankings. But I do believe in guys playing extra well against their former teams. Even discarding that, I think its a great matchup for Wallace. The Steelers are old and have a tendency to get burned by speedy guys. We saw that with Torrey and Josh Gordon. While Wallace isn't on their level of talent, he has a similar skillset, and all it takes is one big play. You can bet he will get a number of those deep ball targets too.

Deeper Thoughts...If you have Eric Decker you have to start him. But he could score 5 points as easily as he could get 20. Prepare for potential frustration. I really like Cecil Shorts in a PPR this week, and as a flex in standard. Also a good matchup for DeAndre Hopkins as a flex. We all know Riley Cooper is boom or bust and its a good matchup, but he is far from a guarantee. Play with caution. I'm not sold on Roddy White. Even in a solid matchup, I think Matt Ryan will do much worse here. I like Michael Crabtree quite a bit in weeks 15 & 16, but this week he faces Seattle, thats an obvious no. In face I have no faith in any part of the 49ers this week, that includes the up and down Anquan Boldin as well. In the flier category you have Andre Holmes. There was a good chance he was picked up after last week. I'm not much of a believer, but if you need to take a risk he is a good option. LaVon Brazill is another one. He got 8 targers last week. Its possible.

Week 14 55 & 5 RB Rankings

1. Jamaal Charles
2. Matt Forte
3. Adrian Peterson
4. Knowshon Moreno
5. Eddie Lacy
6. DeMarco Murray
7. Reggie Bush
8. LeSean McCoy
9. Marshawn Lynch
10. Le'Veon Bell*
11. Alfred Morris
12. Andre Brown
13. Maurice Jones-Drew
14. Fred Jackson
15. Ben Tate
16. Frank Gore
17. Bobby Rainey
18. Shane Vereen
19. C.J. Spiller
20. Chris Johnson
21. Zac Stacy
22. Giovani Bernard
23. Steven Jackson
24. Ryan Mathews
25. Chris Ivory*
26. Rashad Jennings*
27. Danny Woodhead
28. Ray Rice
29. Donald Brown
30. Pierre Thomas
31. Stevan Ridley*
32. Andre Ellington
33. Joique Bell
34. Mike Tolbert
35. Lamar Miller
36. Rashard Mendenhall
37. BenJarvus Green-Ellis
38. Darren Sproles
39. Chris Ogbonnaya
40. Montee Ball
41. Willis McGahee
42. Dennis Johnson
43. Jonathan Stewart*
44. Bilal Powell
45. Darren McFadden
46. Roy Helu
47. Jacquizz Rodgers
48. James Starks
49. Robert Turbin
50. Michael Bush
51. Bernard Pierce
52. Trent Richardson
53. Antone Smith
54. LeGarrette Blount
55. Jordan Todman

#7 Reggie Bush - (#10 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)
I've been one of the people promoting Reggie's Home/Away splits all year and specifically how he doesn't get enough work on the road. So I'm still a bit concerned about that here against an Eagles defense that has been kind of decent lately. But I still really like this matchup for the Lions and I think he will do well enough that he is pretty much a must start.

#11 Alfred Morris - (#14 on Fantasy Pros)
Morris has definitely been somewhat disappointing over the past few games. He has had a few tough matchups. The Chiefs are actually vulnerable against the Run, and I do believe Morris will take advantage of that.

#12 Andre Brown - (#8 on Fantasy Pros)
I was low on him last week and he ended up with a solid game solely because of two TDs. He has a somewhat tough matchup this week and he'll need touchdowns again to do well and with this offense I have a hard time seeing him continuing to get as many goal line opportunities as he does.

#14 Fred Jackson - (#24 on Fantasy Pros)
Fred Jackson didn't have a great YPC last week, but I was still impressed with his play. Now he gets a much tougher matchup so its hard to predict how he will do, but he is still their goal line guy and there is no doubt about that. If he gets the opportunities, it will be a good day.

#15 Ben Tate - (#12 on Fantasy Pros)
Tate's situation is one where you probably have to start him, but I wouldn't feel good about it. He just came off a 3 TD performance, but right before that he faced the Jags and got completely owned by them. Now on a Thursday in Jacksonville? Its hard for me to feel super optimistic, but its hard for me to be super cautious after last week as well. So this is where I put him. He is clearly the #1 and the guy they want to be #1, otherwise Dennis Johnson would have been after getting more carries and looking better against JAX the first time.

Deeper thoughts...Bobby Rainey has obviously quieted down quite a lot, but after seeing Steven Jackson rumble against this Bills defense a lot, I like Rainey quite a bit this week. C.J. Spiller broke out last week, but this week is not a great matchup. But for Spiller its always just a matter of whether he gets a big run or not. Thats also how it works for Chris Johnson, to a lesser extent. I see this as a game that the Titans will throw a lot in. CJ2K gets involved in the passing game but it will still lower his opportunities quite a bit. Its a shame Rashad Jennings got hurt because he was running away with the RB1 job in Oakland. Now its probable that McFadden will get a decent amount of touches in a 60/40 share or something similar. I really like this matchup for Andre Ellington. I think it could easily be a game where he has one or two big runs and never stops, but you don't want to bank on it with the way he is used.

Week 13 Sunday Recap

It was another crazy week in the world of fantasy. Perhaps the biggest fantasy headline was domination at the WR position. Two players soaring over 200 yards and then a third getting 4 TDs and outscoring the previous two. Lets recap it all and see what to make of it.

QBs:
I am pretty sure it was the first week that Peyton Manning (32) wasn't ranked in the top two, and he showed us why you can never rank him outside of the top 5. Looking mortal of late, he came right back with his best performance in weeks. Nick Foles (23) is officially the man. I don't know if its the system, or his talent, but he has been fantastic. This is a tough defense with a great secondary and he handled it without problem. If you own him and you don't have a great first QB, he is in borderline must-start territory. Josh McCown (22) was the other guy a lot of people were high on considering he is a backup, but it was proved rightly so. Alex Smith (21) with another impressive performance. Thats three straight games with 20+ points and 4 of his last 5. I thought he looked really good here besides the dreadful interception. He has the Redskins and Raiders next. You have to imagine that they won't make him struggle either. I see at least 15 points against the Redskins, which makes him a nice #2 option. Ryan Tannehill (21) also had another good game. Thats the second straight week he has set his high total for the year. Next week he faces the Steelers in Pittsburgh, so you can't be too optimistic about that, but it should be another solid game if not great. EJ Manuel (18) got a bit banged up in this game but played fairly well and had a rushing touchdown making him a solid start. Going forward he has two favorable matchups in warm weather, I think he will be a top 15 QB for both. Philip Rivers (12) was back to his mediocre self of late. 12 or 13 fantasy points in 3 of the last 4, at least he has the Giants next week. Andrew Luck (10) is another who has struggled a lot lately. Just 10 points against Tennessee's tough secondary. He gets Cincinnati next, and they certainly haven't been an easy opponent either. I would be worried. One performance that did surprise me, especially after Tannehill last week, was Mike Glennon (3). Carolina tore him apart. He had been a model of consistency before this game. Carolina is extremely tough so its not a major worry going forward.

RBs:
I'm still waiting for an explanation on how Ben Tate (28) can get 1 yard on 7 carries vs the Jags and then have 100+ and three touchdowns vs anyone else. That is frustrating. Of course he faces the Jags next week again and who knows what to expect? I think I will be on the optimistic side, but its far from guaranteed. DeMarco Murray (27) also ended with three TDs, but really didn't impress me that much with his running. Still, he has a very favorable schedule going forward. Reggie Bush (21) continued his big home/road splits as he got 25 carries here and did very well. Next week he is at Philly where it will be cold and the Philly defense has played somewhat decently lately. Don't be surprised to see Bush outside my top 10. Steven Jackson (20) was a true workhorse this week, recording 20+ touches for the first time this season as well as his 2nd & 3rd TDs of the year. It was an impressive performance within a Falcons offense that really performed well all around. Its hard to decipher exactly what to make of this, but it's promising. In the same game C.J. Spiller (20) broke out very quickly with a 77 yard run and continued to pile on the yardage throughout. It was promising, and he looked very good for most of the game. He did get banged up and looked slow for a bit in the middle but he came back and ended up with a 30+ yard TD later on. Its easy to be optimistic, but he still can't be counted on every game. Fred Jackson (19) still had two TDs himself. Joique Bell (18) also piled on the points in addition to Bush and went over 20 touches for the second time this year. Unfortunately, unless your situation is pretty bad, I can't really imagine starting him because he could just as easily get 5 carries next week and thats it. One guy who didn't actually do too much but impressed me was Lamar Miller (8). Since the O-line fallout, the Dolphins run game had been basically a zero. There was no reason to expect change this week, but Miller delivered. Its still hard to trust him going forward, but you could certainly do worse. Eddie Lacy (3) might have been the most disappointing performance of the day. I really didn't expect a terrible performance from Flynn and that completely derailed the whole offense. Not worried long term.

WRs:
The top three WRs dominated. They are all very good players and all must starts every week. Decker is the one that you have to worry about a bit, but because of the offense, he is worth starting as shown here. The 4th highest scoring receiver of the day was Brian Hartline (17) who had 9 catches and 15 targets. He's not good enough to be an every week starter, but if you aren't great at WR, he is startable. Don't expect these numbers though. Michael Floyd (15) continued his torrid pace. I don't think he is better than Fitz, but with the attention that Fitz commands, Floyd has become a very good option every single week. Welcome back, Roddy White (14). I'm not ready to say he is full back, but this game was very promising. And yet I wouldn't be surprised if he returns to worthlessness next week. Andre Holmes (13) was a big emerging target this week. Its hard to say just how real this is because Denarius Moore sat out again. Worth an add in deeper leagues, but thats about it at this point. It bums me out that 8 points is a good day for Victor Cruz but that is what it is. After last week its still disappointing, but hopefully a step in the right direction for the remainder of the season. Ace Sanders (6) has quietly become a consistent deeper league option. 6 points in each of the last three games with 8 receptions in two separate games. As a PPR flex, he might not be a bad option now that he is clearly above the injured Mike Brown. Dwayne Bowe (5) very nearly had a big game, but a touchdown called back and a few other plays that didn't quite fall and 5 points is the result. Frustrating but I am looking forward to next week as well. Hakeem Nicks (3) is droppable. Only two targets this week. LaVon Brazill (4) actually had more targets than T.Y. Hilton (5) but only caught 3 passes. Worth a flier deep, but not much else. Another disappointing game for Wes Welker (3) but I still consider him a must start. Just like Decker, he's bound to score sooner than later. Don't let it be when you have him benched.

Week 13 QB Rankings

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

#2 Tony Romo - (#4 on Fantasy Pros Consensus Rankings)

Anytime you rank Tony Romo higher than 5th, it screams mistake. Romo is always capable of playing at a high level, but it doesn't always happen when it should. Still, at home this year in 5 games, he has scored 16+ fantasy points in 4 of them. The fifth was a weird 8 against Washington. I like to believe in a decent matchup, Romo steps up here. In a week where other options have tough defenses, Romo is your man.

#5 Peyton Manning - (#2 on Fantasy Pros)

I know, I know, Philip Rivers just cut through the Chiefs Defense like they were butter. But if either one of Justin Houston or Tamba Hali is back and in playing form for this game, they will cause trouble for Peyton. You don't need me to tell you that Peyton hasn't been amazing of late. He hasn't even been great. If it were any other QB they would be 9th or 10th at best, but I feel like 5th is me still putting my faith in Peyton here.

#9 Andrew Luck - (#13 on Fantasy Pros)

I hate this matchup for Luck, the Titans secondary continues to do very well. But I also strongly believe that Andrew's fantasy performance will rebound even if he might struggle in actual game performance. I'm not totally sure how he will score points here, but I am convinced that he will. Faith in a guy who doesn't make too many mistakes, which is where the Titans secondary specializes.

#10 Nick Foles - (#7 on Fantasy Pros)

There are a lot of reasons to like Nick Foles here. His TD:Int ratio being at the top. But the Cardinals D is good and Foles can't go on mistake-free for the rest of the year. With an extremely athletic secondary and a solid pass rush, if there was ever a game for Foles to struggle this is it. Remember that he hasn't been perfect, he did struggle against the Cowboys too.

#11 Matt Flynn - (#21 on Fantasy Pros)

I really struggled on where to put Flynn, but I ultimately feel pretty good about this spot. Flynn looked pretty impressive stepping in unexpectedly last week. He couldn't do anything in OT, but he didn't make mistakes either. Over their past 5 games, the Lions have given up 14 passing TDs. The Vikings in that same timespan have given up just 10. Thats about a full pass TD a game, or 4 extra points in a standard league. I truly believe its within reason to think 20 pts is reachable here. and 15 is my expectation.

Quicker Thoughts...I am actually in line with the consensus (1 spot ahead), so I didn't point out Josh McCown, but its a great matchup. He should really flourish here. Another good matchup for Alex Smith who has had 20+ in 3 of his last four, including the first matchup vs DEN. Its also a really good matchup for E.J. Manuel against Atlanta. He's still a rookie and ranked as such, but if you need a potential high ceiling, he would be a good pick. And as much as NYG-WAS screams shootout on paper, I don't want any part of either QB.