Bears vs Lions

Eagles vs Cowboys

Seahawks vs 49ers

I was drooling Thursday morning looking over these three match-ups. Perhaps, it was the smell from the kitchen that provoked the drool, but either way I was feeling good. Three feasts, 11 hours, 12 quarters of football later and the only thing I felt satisfied with was the food.

A couple of complaints from each game.

I understand that Chicago spent the second half of that game trailing, but I have two questions.

1. How can a coaching staff let Jay Cutler throw the ball 48 times?

2. How can that same coaching staff give only 5 carries to Matt Forte?

The Philly/Dallas game was basically just one team trying to score as many points as fast as they could verse a team who was just trying to keep their defense off the field.

My biggest disappointment came in the night-cap. With how everything went down last year in the NFC Championship game, I fully expected the 49ers to play their best game of the

season and avenge last year’s defeat. More specifically, I thought Michael Crabtree would play a great game, and even go after Sherman a little bit. Instead, Crabtree hauls in three catches for 10 yards and Sherman owns the 49ers again intercepting two passes. I mean seriously, come on Crabtree! You get called out on national television and when you get your chance to get back on the field with him nothing even happens??? Sure, it is easy to be an armchair coach so with that said here is how I would have handled the first snap of the game.

Okay, men here’s what we are going to do. When we break the huddle Michael’s theme music “Crank That Crabtree” is going to hit.

From there, Jim Ross is going to come over the speakers and say “BAH GAWD THAT’S MICHAEL CRABTREE’S MUSIC!!!”

Kap, go ahead and call whatever play you want. At the snap, Crabtree you are going to hit Sherman with a high-flying dropkick. Once he his down you need to mount him and make him tap-out with your signature move the Crabtree Clutch.

I think we can all agree that this would have set the tone for the game and been well worth a 15 yard penalty.

Week 12 Recap

Poorhouse Picks

Jerick McKinnon – 6.3

Kendall Wright – 2.8

Niles Paul – 1.1

Penthouse Picks

Zach Mettenberger – 19.8

Ryan Mathews – 17.3

Vincent Jackson – 11.7

Week 13: “In Question”

With no teams on bye, and only a few major players’ status in doubt most owners shouldn’t have many tough decisions when it comes to submitting that final line-up.

RUNNING BACKS

Jerick McKinnon (Out), Latavius Murray (Out), Montee Ball (Out), Ronnie Hillman (Out), Shane Vereen (Questionable)

Jerick McKinnon has been unable to practice this week and is going to be inactive today. There are a few backfields that I would avoid at all costs, and Minnesota is on that list. If you are in a touchdown heavy league Matt Asiata could be a fair option. Aside from him getting goal line carries the rest of the split is a mystery. Mid-week it was looking like Latavius Murray was going be up for today’s action. That won’t be the case as he has not been cleared from the concussion he suffered 10 days ago. With Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman still sidelined owners can continue to roll with C.J. Anderson. As long as he is the only show in town he should be considered a top 10 option at the position. Shane Vereen was limited in practice this week. With the Steelers passing the Blount over to New England and Gray potentially out of the doghouse Vereen’s value is trending downward. However, in a potential shootout with Green Bay Vereen is still a worthy PPR option.

Plan B: This pick is going waaaay down the rankings. If your desperate though Marcel Reece is the man for you. Don’t worry about availability, he is only owned in roughly 3% of leagues. Going back to

2012 Reece has shown the ability to have a big game when given the opportunity. He put together a three game stretch in 2012 in which he totaled 100+ yards. In week 14 of 2013 vs the Jets he got 21 touches and churned out 161 yards and a TD. The more I look into this guy the more intrigued I become. Here are the four games that he has had 19+ touches

2012

20 / 104 / 0

23 / 193 / 0

19 / 103 / 0

2013

21 / 161 / 0

In his other 67 career games he received more than 10 touches….once. Dare I say…Marcel Reece is…good? How about this. When given the opportunity, and I define opportunity as 15+ touches. Marcel Reece has been very good. Last week, Reece had 8 carries and averaged 4.6 ypc. Darren McFadden has averaged over 4.0 ypc exactly two times in 11 tries this season. Hopefully, the 8 carries that he got last week is something to build on and they will increase his workload this week.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Larry Fitzgerald (Questionable), Roddy White (Questionable), Brandon LaFell (Questionable)

Things are looking very good for both Roddy White and Brandon LaFell to be active today. Larry Fitzgerald on the other hand is going to be the dreaded game-time decision. To make matters worse the Cardinals are slated for the kickoff. There are only three games kicking after that game (Pats / Packers – Broncos / Chiefs – Dolphins / Jets). If there are any viable options on the WW from any of those teams you could pick them up and plug them in your line-up in the event that Fitzgerald is inactive. Let’s be honest though, Fitzgerald has only exceeded 7 fantasy points three times so far this season. If you are in a 10 team league you probably have a better option lined up. However, if you are in a deeper league you will be sweating the news on the Fitzgerald in a potential juicy match-up verse the Falcons.

Plan B: Watkins, Benjamin, Evans, Beckham. When talking about rookie receivers those are the first names that are talked about.

Receiver A: 60 targets / 41 rec / 609 yards / 5 tds

Receiver B: 98 targets / 52 rec / 768 yards / 8 tds

Receiver C: 66 targets / 49 rec / 450 yards / 5 tds

Receiver D: 89 targets / 48 rec / 684 yards / 5 tds

Receiver E: 83 targets / 49 rec / 841 yards / 8 tds

Based on numbers, I think there is another rookie receiver who needs to be in the same conversation as the big 4. Jarvis Landry has been a very consistent producer in the Dolphins offense. Landry has recorded 5+ catches in four consecutive games. He has also found the end-zone four times over that stretch, and is quickly becoming Tannehill’s favorite target. Landry’s yardage totals are the only concern, but even so he is a must start in PPR formats.

TIGHT END

Jordan Cameron (Out), Dwayne Allen (Out), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Questionable), Jordan Reed (Questionable), Julius Thomas (Questionable)

The name that owners will have their eyes on this morning is Julius Thomas. With Thomas playing Sunday night it is unlikely that there will be any concrete news before line-ups lock at . He was limited in practice on both Thursday and Friday. With the late start I would use another option rather than risk taking a zero.

Plan B: It seems just like yesterday that big Larry Donnell was

catching his third touchdown pass of the game verse the Redskins on Thursday Night Football. Since that magical game big Larry has only found the end-zone twice. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Donnell is still seeing significant targets — 6+ targets in 4 of his last 5 games. The Jaguars are going to be focused on slowing down the one man wrecking crew that is Odell Beckham. This should open up the middle of the field for Larry to go work. Three touchdowns probably won’t happen again, but I think he finds the end-zone today.

Week 13 marks the final week of the regular season for many leagues. Good luck to everyone, especially to owners who need that W to get in. If you are eliminated from playoff contention finish the season with pride. Remember, there is nothing more shameful in fantasy football than being that owner who doesn’t set his line-up just because he is out of the race.

Receiver A: Beckham, B: Benjamin, C: Landry, D: Watkins, E: Evans

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