Percy Harvin Tops Among Fantasy Rookies with One Week to Go

Playoff pictures are clearing up, superstars are resting for the playoff run, and rookies are starting to get more playing time than usual.

The regular season is a long 17 weeks, and successful teams need contributions from their rookies in order to make the playoffs and possibly win the Super Bowl. The top five rookies on this list all are on potential playoff teams that needed rookie contributions to get to this point.

 

1. Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings

As Percy Harvin has struggled to get touches, so has the Vikings’ offense. Harvin is a difference maker on a team needing a spark. Look for the Vikings to get Harvin more involved in Week 17 to try and earn a bye in the playoffs.

 

2. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos

Moreno has been finding the end zone, but yards have been coming tough for this rookie running back. His engine could be running out of gas, but he will need to find a second wind if he expects to help the Broncos make the postseason.

 

3. Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals

Wells is the hottest rookie on this list. He was not even in the top five just two weeks ago and now he has moved into the top three. He is fresh due to splitting time with Tim Hightower all the season and some injuries that kept him sidelined early in the season. He is showing the NFL why he should have been the first running back drafted, in his mind.

 

4. Austin Collie, WR, Colts

“Mr. Reliable” makes all the catches for the Colts, but he has too much other competition for touches in the offense. Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, and Dallas Clark still deserve most of the touches, which makes what Collie has done this season even more impressive.

 

5. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles

Maclin and the Eagles have been on a roll down the stretch of the season. Maclin has great speed and consistent hands that will make him a No. 1 receiver prospect for the Eagles for the rest of his career.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Are Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner Fantasy Owners Still Afloat in Playoff Aftermath?

Before I can close the door on the first fantasy postseason weekend, I wanted to jot down a few things that stuck out in my mind as I followed all the action this weekend.

Not a part of this update: Randy Moss’ quitting ways, any mention of Tiger Woods and all of his ladies, man-crushing on Brett Favre and my irrational love for Reggie Bush. He is pretty awesome though.

Drop your thoughts/reactions/Reggie-Bush-man-love in the comments.

 

 

Aaron Rodgers & Kurt Warner:

 

How many Rodgers and Warner owners survived fantasy stinkers by both quarterbacks during the first weekend of the fantasy playoffs? Probably not too many, considering some of the performances handed in by playoff-caliber quarterbacks (Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub and Donovan McNabb to name a few).

Not exactly the type of performances fantasy owners expected from two of this season’s top fantasy football quarterbacks. If you were lucky enough to survive, consider yourself just that: lucky.

 

 

Michael Vick & Donovan McNabb, QBs, Eagles:

 

McNabb still had a good game here, but if the Giants’ defense was any better it could have been a very frustrating fantasy performance for D-Nice. It is now obvious that the Eagles are going to use Vick near the goal line more often down the stretch, which is going to take touchdowns away from McNabb. No two ways about it.

What can McNabb owners do about it? Grin and bear it, apparently. Unless of course you have a better option on the bench.

 

 

The Indianapolis Colts:

 

Now that the Colts have locked up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, fantasy owners can start Colts Watch 2009. No offensive skill position player is safe from an early exit in any game for the rest of the regular season, especially Peyton Manning, Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, and Joseph Addai.

A few speculative waiver wire additions who may pay dividends for needy owners: Donald Brown, Mike Hart, Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie.

 

 

Quinton Ganther, RB, Redskins:

 

How many owners out there rolled the dice with Ganther this weekend? If you had, he did not disappoint.

But was it just a one-and-done type deal with Ganther, or will there be an encore or two in the coming weeks? Ganther’s upcoming schedule: vs. Giants, vs. Cowboys, @ Chargers. Not a scary matchup in that group, but nothing as exciting as the Raiders either. Use with caution.

 

 

Ray Rice 2010:

 

Rice went from one of three in a running back by committee, to everyone’s favorite fantasy football sleeper, to the real deal all over the course of the last year or so. Pretty amazing transformation considering the competition he faced in the Ravens’ backfield at the start of 2009.

Those of us who grabbed Rice in the middle rounds this year will need a high first-round pick to nab the bowling ball back next year. Rice’s 2009 season likely has catapulted the multi-purpose back to as high as the No. 4 pick, just behind Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, and Maurice Jones-Drew.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week 14 Unfavorable Fantasy Schedules by Position

Public service announcement of the week: Take a bite out of tough fantasy decisions!

This is a stressful and anxious time of year for fantasy owners. Win or go home is a popular mantra thrown around league message boards, mixed in with all that lame smack talk and weekly scoring (or lack thereof) complaints.

But the win or go home mantra is never more true than now.

If you made it to the fantasy postseason, there now is little-to-no room for error. Few can make the right start and sit decisions each and every week, but now is the time to trust the numbers in most cases—especially when it comes to the better fantasy players.

With that in mind, below are the fantasy players with the most unfavorable fantasy schedules for all of the Week 14 action. Use it as a guide, but make sure to consider all the external factors: injuries, weather, situation and—perhaps most importantly—your gut.

Also read: Week 14 Favorable Fantasy Schedules by Position

Quarterbacks

Peyton Manning v. Broncos
The matchup may not be great, but no one is sitting Manning this week. Let’s move on …

Matt Cassel v. Bills
Fantasy owners in two-quarterback leagues may have gotten this far with Cassel, but not those in standard leagues.

Brett Favre v. Bengals
Again, another guy fantasy owners may not be able to sit this weekend. Unless you have a clear, top-tier option like Manning or Drew Brees.

Tom Brady v. Panthers
Brady has been struggling lately and could have another down weekend, but will be in pretty much all fantasy lineups.

Vince Young v. Rams
VY had a great run leading up to the Indy game, but now is dealing with a knee injury.

Running Backs

Matt Forte v. Packers
Forte has been a major disappointment this season and draws an unfavorable matchup against the red-hot Packers.

Cedric Benson @ Vikings
Benson is going to get a high volume of touches and has played well against good Ds this year, so start him anyway.

Kevin Smith @ Ravens
Not really scared of the Ravens defense these days, but Smith could have a rough go of it against a desperate team.

Ricky Williams @ Jaguars
The Dolphins’ rushing offense lost some punch when Ronnie Brown went on injured reserve. Ricky still is a decent play without him.

Adrian Peterson v. Bengals
No fantasy owners in the fantasy postseason are benching Peterson, just like Manning above. Move along, people.

LeSean McCoy @ Giants
McCoy barely touched the ball last weekend against the Falcons. Were the Eagles saving him for something?

Wide Receivers

Chris Chambers v. Bills
Not safe to use as a flex play this weekend. The Bills’ secondary actually has been fairly decent.

Sidney Rice/Percy  Harvin/Bernard Berrian v. Bengals
Fantasy owners will have trouble benching Rice in standard leagues and Harvin in three WR or flex leagues, but Berrian should be benched for sure.

Vincent Jackson @ Cowboys
Where, oh where, has VJax gone? The last few weeks are forgettable, and fantasy owners should be concerned about his role in the offense.

Antonio Bryant v. Jets
All you need to know about why Bryant should be on all fantasy benches this weekend: Darrelle Revis.

Tight Ends

Kellen Winslow v. Jets
The Jets’ defense has done well against tight ends of late, and it is hard to trust the Josh Freeman-led Bucs against a tough D.

Fred Davis @ Raiders
The Redskins’ offense has shown signs of life. Despite limiting TEs in recent weeks, I think Davis might actually be a good play this weekend.

Defense/Special Teams

Cowboys DST v. Chargers
The Chargers can light up the scoreboard and are fairly good about protecting the football. This game should be high-scoring.

49ers DST v. Cardinals
Kurt Warner is back, and the Cardinals are hot again. Bad timing for the 49ers defense, which looked so good earlier this season.

The above information was compiled using the data from FFtoday’s Fantasy Strength of Schedule Tool. It is an amazing tool that can be used by all fantasy owners to make tough start and sit decisions every week.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week 14 Favorable Fantasy Schedules by Position

Public service announcement of the week: Take a bite out of tough fantasy decisions!

This is a stressful and anxious time of year for fantasy owners. Win or go home is a popular mantra thrown around league message boards, mixed in with all that lame smack talk and weekly scoring (or lack thereof) complaints.

But the win or go home mantra is never more true than now.

If you made it to the fantasy postseason, there now is little to no room for error. Few can make the right start and sit decisions each and every week, but now is the time to trust the numbers in most cases—especially when it comes to the better fantasy players.

With that in mind, below are the fantasy players with the most favorable fantasy schedules for all of the week 14 action.

Use it as a guide, but make sure to consider all the external factors: injuries, weather, situation and—perhaps most importantly—your gut.

Quarterbacks

Matt Schaub v. Seahawks
Can he continue to be a reliable QB1 even though the rest of the Houston offense is falling apart around him?

Drew Brees @ Falcons
Brees and Co. are going for 16-0 according to head coach Sean Payton and should lambaste the Falcons in Atlanta.

Donovan McNabb @ Giants
Tough, divisional game. The kind D-Nice usually shows up for in a big way for his fantasy owners.

Joe Flacco v. Lions
Look, Flacco has been awful lately. But I have said it before and will say it again—the Lions are a fantasy panacea.

Running Backs

Fred Jackson @ Chiefs
Marshawn Lynch stole some of his thunder last Thursday. There should be plenty of thunder to go around against KC.

Jamaal Charles v. Bills
And there will be no thunder-stealing on this side of the Bills-Chiefs contest. Charles is healthy and ready for a big week against a bad run D.

Thomas Jones @ Buccaneers
The old man just keeps plowing away for the Jets. He should get a lot of action with Kellen Clemens under center for New York.

Rashard Mendenhall @ Browns
The weather in Cleveland could be frightful tonight. Get ready for some old-fashioned football if the weather goes south (read: snow).

Chris Johnson v. Rams
If Johnson is going to keep up with Eric Dickerson, this certainly is the week to get back on track.

Wide Receivers

Derrick Mason v. Lions
If the Ravens are going to stay alive in the AFC playoff race, they absolutely must have this game. The big names on offense should get enough work to make it happen.

Steve Smith @ Patriots
Who hasn’t roasted a Patriot yet this holiday season? Even with Matt Moore at quarterback, Smith seems like a lock.

Brandon Marshall @ Colts
The Broncos are in need of a big win down the stretch to regain some confidence and Marshall enjoys the big stage.

Andre Johnson v. Seahawks
At least the Texans still have Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. Who would have thought those two would be the healthy Texans by this point in the season?!?

Tight Ends

Jeremy Shockey @ Falcons
Has been very inconsistent lately after starting the season strong. I kind of wonder if something is going on behind the scenes (read: injury).

Brent Celek @ Giants
He is on the verge of the top echelon of tight ends in fantasy football this season and should be in starting lineups for the playoff run.

Heath Miller @ Browns
The weather could be a big factor in this game, and it might actually help Miller’s numbers—especially if Hines Ward sits out.

John Carlson @ Texans
Hard to trust Carlson and just about anyone on the Seattle offense these days. Use with caution.

Vernon Davis v. Cardinals
Must start for fantasy owners throughout the fantasy postseason. Nice schedule ahead for Alex Smith’s favorite target.

Defense/Special Teams

Ravens v. Lions
Same principle applied here as with Flacco above. Lions bad, Ravens D should be good.

Titans v. Rams
Does Kyle Boller really scare anyone? The Titans should rebound after a momentum-killing loss to Indy last week.

The above information was compiled using the data from FFtoday’s Fantasy Strength of Schedule Tool. It is an amazing tool that can be used by all fantasy owners to make tough start and sit decisions every week.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Steve Slaton to IR Headlines a Laundry List of Sophomore Slumps

The Houston Texans placed running back Steve Slaton on injured reserve on Wednesday, ending what had been a disappointing season for the second-year running back.

Citing numbness in his arms and hands due to a neck injury, Slaton was shut down out of concern for his future health. Plus, the Texans are all but eliminated from the AFC playoff race at this point so there was no need to rush Slaton on to the field for what should amount to a few meaningless games down the stretch.

It was a very disappointing season for Slaton, who was touted as a late first-round pick in many fantasy mock drafts during the summer. As explosive as he can be, Slaton fumbled away opportunities early this season, which landed him in Gary Kubiak’s dog house. In the process, he lost touches to both Chris Brown and Ryan Moats, and now 2009 is a lost season for Slaton.

But Slaton is just one among a growing list of sophomore who have experienced slumps in the NFL this season. Most of these guys had fantastic rookie campaigns; others at least showed some flashes of potential.

 

Matt Forte, RB, Bears

Can you believe Forte was going as high as No. 2 overall in some fantasy drafts last summer? Hard to believe it now. If we held a draft today, Forte’s name probably would not be called until the fourth round at the earliest. This is not entirely his fault, as the Bears’ offensive line has struggled to open holes all season. Still, good luck trying to reason with angry Forte owners .

 

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens  

Flacco and the Ravens started strong, but the going has been tough as of late. He has made some poor decisions in recent weeks, costing his team the chance to win a few games. Meanwhile, another sophomore on the Ravens is having a stellar season. Ray Rice has likely vaulted himself into the first round of fantasy drafts next season.

 

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons

Expected to be this year’s breakout quarterback, Ryan never fulfilled his offseason potential. I’m not going to lie, I loved him this summer. But it just never came together for Ryan or the Falcons. A recent foot injury has put his fantasy owners out of their misery for at least the time being.

 

Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos  

Has anyone heard from Royal recently? He had one decent outing earlier this season against the Patriots and some special teams returns that grabbed headlines, but I doubt he is on many fantasy teams at this point. The offseason changes in Denver have obviously affected Royal’s role in the offense.

 

Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders

Can any first round picks in Oakland be trusted? Certainly not JaMarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey. McFadden is among that group and it is not a pretty one to be associated with. Injuries have wrecked his first two seasons in the NFL and the Oakland backfield is too crowded.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week 14 Waiver Wire Adds

Fantasy playoffs are here, people, and, if you are the lucky few who will be seeing postseason action, I send my congratulations.

It is win-or-go-home time. While I am always an advocate of starting your studs, sometimes those guys can get hurt and leave fantasy owners scrambling for players.

If that scenario seems fitting for you, look no further than below because The Hazean has your back. 

A few potential week 14 waiver wire adds were mentioned yesterday, and here are a few of the players destined to become the most popular adds of the week:

 

Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Smith was on the verge of flipping burgers a year ago, but, after three solid outings in a row, he is a viable fantasy option during the playoffs. 

His juicy matchups against Arizona and Detroit in weeks 14 and 16 could mean multiple-touchdown performances.

 

Jerome Harrison, RB, Cleveland Browns

With Jamal Lewis put on the shelf for the remainder of the season, Harrison has taken over the starting role. 

And, although he is not putting up electrifying numbers running the ball, he was stellar in the receiving category last week, as he compiled 62 yards and two touchdowns. 

With Brady Quinn at QB, the Browns will continue to look to relieve some of the pressure off Quinn by throwing screens and dump passes to Harrison.

 

Louis Murphy, WR, Oakland Raiders

With the surprising emergence of Bruce Gradkowski, Murphy appears to have become the go-to guy in an otherwise lackluster Raiders’ offense. 

Murphy hauled in four passes for 128 yards and two scores against the Steelers. 

He faces a tough matchup this upcoming week against the Washington Redskins.

 

Robert Meachem, WR, New Orleans Saints

The Saints’ offense is starting to click, much like they did last year, and Meachem has been a direct beneficiary. 

Meachem seems to have an uncanny ability to be able to sneak past the opposing team’s secondary and make the big play. 

He has reeled in at least one touchdown in each of the last five games.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Panther’s Monday Morning Rehab: Surprise! No DeAngelo Williams

Anybody get burned by the DeAngelo Williams scratch yesterday? Hopefully fantasy owners of DWill had Jonathan Stewart ready, as he had a good showing in Williams’ absence.

The good thing for fantasy owners was that there was some forewarning. Williams did not practice all week and was looking awfully doubtful to play by Friday.

More on Williams and the Panthers’ running game situation below.

But before this week’s MMR, a little fantasy lagniappe from yesterday’s action:

*The start advice was mostly solid for week 13 but I misfired on several of the players listed in the sit category. Drew Brees had a huge day, Brandon Jacobs scored twice (though his receiving TD was fluky) and Calvin Johnson blew up against the Bengals. Overall, though, a pretty decent week on the start/sit front.

*For rookies, last year was the year of the young running backs. Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart and more became household names by the end of 2008. This year, rookie wide receivers are stealing the show. Percy Harvin and Hakeem Nicks each had another touchdown, Louis Murphy caught two for Oakland and Kenny Britt continues to look like Vince Young’s favorite target.

Mark Sanchez [QB, Jets]

From ProFootballTalk:

Ryan also confirmed that Sanchez has a PCL sprain, and Ryan laughed when saying that he doesn’t know the grade of the sprain.

Sanchez’s status for this weekend will not become clear until the Jets hold practices this week, but it is very possible he misses at least one game due to his knee sprain.

Fantasy owners relying on Sanchez as a starting quarterback should not be in the fantasy postseason. If you are, congratulations on having such a great fantasy team around him.

Justin Forsett [RB, Seahawks]

From ProFootballTalk:

In a development that could impact Florio’s fantasy football team as much as the Seahawks, Seattle running back Justin Forsett strained his quadriceps Friday.

Forsett couldn’t complete practice and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against San Francisco.

Forsett was in danger of missing yesterday’s game against San Francisco but suited up and scored a touchdown through the air. However, his yardage totals were subdued due to the return of Julius Jones.

The injury may have played a factor in Forsett’s touches as well. Unless Jones gets out of his way again, Forsett will be nothing more than a matchup flex play the rest of the season.

DeAngelo Williams [RB, Panthers]

From FFToolBox:

He didn’t practice all week due to a sprained ankle, but we heard that head coach John Fox expected him to play. But Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer is tweeting that Williams is inactive for today’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Fantasy owners could see it coming after Williams missed practice all week. Those with Jonathan Stewart as a handcuff did not miss a beat, as JStew put up some healthy fantasy numbers against a bad defense.

Keep an eye on Williams’ practice status this week. The Panthers have not really disclosed the extent of the injury, so it will be interesting to see if Williams gets back on the practice field sometime this week.

Tom Brady [QB, Patriots]

From Bruno Boys:

New England Patriots’ quarterback, Tom Brady, did suffer a finger injury during the team’s practice on Friday. However, the injury does not appear to be serious, and Brady is set to be on the field in a nice match-up against the Miami Dolphins.

The injury did not really seem to affect Brady’s fantasy numbers yesterday, but perhaps it was significant enough to limit to real-life effectiveness. Brady had a decent stat-day in the loss to the Dolphins.

Expect the Patriots to be mysterious about Brady’s status going forward, but he should be able to go for fantasy owners during the playoffs.

Matt Schaub [QB, Texans]

From ProFootballTalk:

It’s unknown whether Schaub will miss any time for the 5-7 Texans, who have now lost four straight after starting the year with five wins in eight games.

Schaub missed five starts due to injury in each of the past two years.  He has started all 12 games in 2009.

It was looking like a lost cause for Schaub yesterday against the Jags. He left before recording a single fantasy point. His fantasy owners came to fear the worst, a(nother) long-term Schaub injury.

But this time he came back in the game and salvaged what he could for fantasy owners with a 200+ yard, one touchdown performance. He suffered a separated non-throwing shoulder and it sounds like he will be able to start next week.

DeSean Jackson [WR, Eagles]

From ProFootballTalk:

Now their chances of having another good Sunday next week have improved with the news that DeSean Jackson is expected to return to the lineup against the Giants.

Good news for fantasy owners as Jackson has been one of this season’s surprise fantasy studs. However, being that this is the Eagles, it would be wise to have another receiver at the ready this Sunday.

If he does return, however, it could be a sign that the Eagles may bring Brian Westbrook back into the fold fairly soon as well.

Devin Hester [WR, Bears]

From RotoWorld:

The Chicago Tribune reports that Devin Hester did not need an MRI for his strained calf and should be “OK” for Week 14.

Hester is not expected to miss this weekend’s again after leaving yesterday’s contest. Not that many fantasy owners are relying on him or the rest of the Bears’ offense these days.

Kurt Warner [QB, Cardinals]

From ProFootballTalk:

Warner told Andrea Kremer after the game that he “banged” his hip on the last throw he made in the 30-17 win.  It’s the hip other than the hip that was surgically repaired in the offseason.

So fantasy owners finally get Warner back from the concussion injury and now have to deal with this hip? Thanks a lot, Kurt.

All kidding aside, Warner out-dueled fellow old man Brett Favre last night in a big win for Arizona’s playoff standing. He looked great in finding play-making receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald all night and is a dangerous fantasy quarterback to face in the fantasy playoffs — if he can stay on the field.

Matthew Stafford [QB, Lions]

From ProFootballTalk:

Stafford re-injured his left shoulder at the end of Sunday’s loss to the Bengals, and watched the game’s ending from the sidelines.  Stafford was asked if he’ll play next week:

“It’s something that I’m going to have to think about. I might be playing next week or I might not. I have no idea right now,” Stafford said.

It has been a tough season for Stafford. He has shown a ton of promise but is having some trouble staying healthy behind a porous offensive line.

The Lions would be wise to keep him out until he can get fully healthy, in an effort to avoid a more serious ailment. The fantasy outlook for the Lions’ offense is looking pretty good next season with the young nucleus of Stafford, Kevin Smith, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew.

The MMR will continue to run every Monday morning as scheduled during the regular season. If you have an injury update or want an update on a certain player, please leave a note in the comments.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week 13 Start & Sit: Start Your San Diego Super Chargers

Working near Cleveland, I deal with a lot of Browns fans on a daily basis. They are a pretty resilient group for the most part, but these certainly are trying times for the Dawg Pound.

One Browns fan gave me a piece of advice yesterday for this weekend’s Browns-Chargers game: Start all of your Chargers in fantasy leagues.

Sounds reasonable, right?

It makes a lot of sense. The Browns are…well…awful this season. No offense, no defense and one superstar—Josh Cribbs—on special teams. Cribbs is the lone bright spot on what has become a fantasy football black hole in northeast Ohio.

Heed his advice my friends. Start any and all Chargers worth starting this weekend in fantasy leagues. It should be a stat-padding Sunday for San Diego.

A few injury updates before start and sit advice for Week 13:

 

DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles

Despite claiming earlier this week that he does not think he could play this weekend, the Eagles have yet to declare Jackson officially out for this weekend’s game. Kind of surprising given what the Eagles have been through already this season with Brian Westbrook’s concussions.

Kurt Warner, QB, Cardinals

Looks like a game-time decision , kiddos. Make sure to have a backup plan in place Sunday morning as the Cardinals-Vikings play Sunday night on NBC. If you want to wait out Warner, it would be a great idea to add Matt Leinart right now.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers

Williams has missed a couple of practices this week but the Panthers expect him to play on Sunday against Tampa Bay. If he cannot go, however, Jonathan Stewart would be a great start.

 

Start ‘em

 

Quarterbacks

Joe Flacco @ Packers
Flacco and the Ravens got a big win against Pittsburgh last weekend and look to stay hot against the Packers.

Alex Smith @ Seahawks
Yeah, I mentioned Smith yesterday in this week’s Desperation Plug-and-Plays . Again, I think he should be a good start.

 

Running Backs

Matt Forte v. Rams
Finally, a matchup Forte should exploit, and just in time for desperate Forte owners. Hopefully y’all still have a chance to get in the playoffs.

Knowshon Moreno @ Chiefs
The rookie played strong against a once-heralded defense last Thursday and gets a favorable draw this Sunday in KC.

 

Wide Receivers

Chad OchoCinco v. Lions
He has struggled lately. But nothing heals a struggling fantasy player quite like the Detroit Lions’ defense.

Steve Smith v. Buccaneers
New Carolina quarterback Matt Moore should be able to understand this one important thing: Get the ball to Smith.

 

Tight End

Jason Witten @ Giants
There was an Antonio Gates sighting in the end zone last weekend (two TDs). This weekend, it could be Witten’s turn.

 

Sit ‘em

 

Quarterbacks

Drew Brees @ Redskins
OK, no one really is going to bench Brees. But this could be a downer against one of the league’s best pass defenses.

Matt Cassel v. Broncos
The Broncos got back on track last Thursday against the Giants and had a few extra days to prepare for the Chiefs this Sunday.

 

Running Backs

Brandon Jacobs v. Cowboys
Hard to trust Jacobs anymore, even harder to trust him if Ahmad Bradshaw is back in the lineup.

Tim Hightower/Beanie Wells v. Vikings
Hightower has the best chance of contributing via the passing game, but running the ball could prove difficult against a stout run D.

 

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson @ Bengals
Megatron is banged up and the Bengals surrender few fantasy points to wide receivers. Could be a recipe for disaster.

Greg Jennings v. Ravens
Hard to bench Jennings in such a high-powered offense, but the Ravens are going to try and limit the big-play and that is what Jennings brings to the table.

 

Tight End

Greg Olsen v. Rams
This is a personal vendetta. I started him over Vernon Davis the last two weeks and got eight points out of him. Y’all can have him from now on. I am done!

 

For more great fantasy roster advice this week, including a plethora of Start & Sit links and consensus rankings, head over to the Fantasy Football Librarian . Don’t forget to grab your library card.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Rookie Wide Receivers Continue to Shine

Welcome back, I hope everyone had a superb Thanksgiving holiday.

We had two weeks of games to sift through since the last published Rookie Report . There were some solid performers, but I believe two rookies are head and shoulders above the rest.

1.  Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings

Harvin has proven his critics wrong this season by contributing in all facets of the offense for the Vikings.  Against the Bears he snared six passes for 101 yards and a score.  He also contributed in the running game with two carries for 45 yards.  His big-play ability is surpassed by no one.

 

2.  Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos

Moreno had a solid game for the struggling Broncos.  His 88 yards and a score helped the Broncos erase their four game losing streak to help keep their playoff hopes alive.  Moreno is still splitting carries with running mate Correll Buckhalter, but he is still the man in Denver despite his fumbling problems.

 

3.  Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles

Maclin did not find the end zone against the Redskins, but he caught five balls for 63 yards helping to prevent the Eagles from a devastating loss to the Redskins.  Maclin continues to improve every week for the Eagles.

 

4.  Austin Collie, WR, Colts

Collie leads all rookies with 43 receptions, but he has not caught a touchdown pass since week seven.  If he does not want to be knocked out of the Top Five he needs to find pay dirt soon, as a few other rookies are ready to kick down the door.

 

5.  Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants

Nicks continues to be a solid performer for the Giants since he first burst on the scene with a 54-yard touchdown catch against the Chiefs in week four.  He caught four balls for 66 yards in his team’s poor performance against the Broncos on Thanksgiving.  Maybe the Giants should have waited until after the game to eat Turkey.  The Giants will need Nicks big-play ability if they hope to right the ship and sneak into the playoffs.

 

Rookie rankings from two weeks ago :

1. Knowshon Moreno
2. Percy Harvin
3. Austin Collie
4. Jeremy Maclin
5. Mike Wallace

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Daily Haze: Get Ready for Week 13 and Beyond

Blaine is off today as he heads up the Mississippi River to Memphis to run in the St. Jude 5K tomorrow morning. He and his wife made the trip up I-55 and I wish them the best of luck this weekend.

His absence, though, really makes me realize just how long it has been since I had to write a Friday Daily Haze on my own. Been a while, folks.

Anyway, onto the fantasy stories relevant for this weekend’s game. This is an important weekend for fantasy owners hoping to lock up a postseason berth. Remember to take some chances if you are on the outside looking in as of right now. This could be the last meaningful weekend of fake football for you.

Next week at The Hazean will be playoff preparation week. Make sure to come back each day next week for playoff-relevant fantasy football information.

Good luck to all this weekend. Drop me a line via Twitter if you need some last-minute start/sit advice this weekend, and check back in an hour for our weekly start/sit feature .

Here are today’s great reads:

• Keep a watchful eye on all of these injuries this weekend. [FanHouse]
• Hits and misses for this weekend’s games. Drew Brees owners should not expect another five-touchdown performance this weekend. [The Fantasy Football Geek Blog]
• More advice on who to start and sit this weekend , including another warning about Brees’ fantasy outlook this weekend at Washington. [Roto Arcade]
• How to avoid fantasy football disappointments in fantasy drafts next year. Matt Forte and Calvin Johnson have been two of this year’s biggest letdowns. [Fantasy Football Fools]
• If you already have an eye toward next season in dynasty and/or keeper leagues, consider adding some players with future potential while you still can. [No Offseason]

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