With only one spot up for grabs in the NFC playoff picture and 2 spots open in the AFC, there are a lot of teams with little to play for and this week is a bit of a mess.  This is exactly why leagues should all be finishing on week 16.  You should talk to the commissioner about next season if it is not.

Love

Cam Newton, QB, CAR – They have been out of the playoff race for a long time so it’s not like the motivation is gone for Newton, who wants to continue to expand on the records he has already eclipsed in this incredible rookie season. New Orleans’ defense thrives on generating pressure, which is hard to do when the QB can just take off running.  Newton will be able to score points against this defense and maybe even a win if Brees and the rest of the Saints’ starters take some of the game off.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG – When the game is on the line, Eli is going to look towards Nicks.  Victor Cruz might be the new talent but this game is no joke; win the game and win the division. Dallas’ secondary is not going to contain these two and it will be up to Romo to outscore Eli. Both Giants receivers are good starts this week.

C.J. Spiller, RB, BUF – People were quick to call Spiller a bust as he sat behind Fred Jackson but ever since he has taken over for Freddie, he has improved on a weekly basis. Statistically and fundamentally, Spiller has made progress with each passing game.  He is learning to hit the pocket quickly and get up field and his ability to be an impact in the passing game makes him a very versatile threat.  Buffalo has a tough choice going into next season about who to start but fantasy owners do not, Spiller has to be out there.

Steve Johnson, WR, BUF – Johnson faces the league’s worst pass defense and is playing what is potentially his last game as a Buffalo Bill.  He would like to impress as he heads into an off season where he is a free agent to help drive up the size of his next contract, with whichever team that may be.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA – After being dead wrong about how Lynch would perform against by far the best rush defense in the league last week, there is zero chance that I would make the same mistake twice.  Consistency has always been the downside with Lynch.  He has however been consistently phenomenal the 2nd half of the year and is very likely to go as a top 10 RB in next season’s draft.

Hate

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT – Ben is likely to take it easy this week, should he play. He faces a Browns defense that is stout against the pass and weak to the run.  Expect a heavy dose of the ground game and less of an emphasis on the aerial assault.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, TB – I think the Buccaneers will still look to Blount first but they showed last week that he is on a short leash and you should expect them to yank him out of the game if he has any more fumbling problems.  He is just too risky for a start this week in my opinion.

Andre Johnson, WR, HOU – Even if he comes back, he isn’t an auto-start.  The Texans aren’t likely to push him back and I expect him to see limited snaps.  He is a flex play at best on talent alone.  There still aren’t many red zone targets in the league and I would think that is where they would hope to use him the most.

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Love

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT – Pittsburgh has had issues on the offensive line this season and Mendenhall’s stats have suffered as well as Roethlisberger’s health.  Ben is not even close to 100% and the match up is especially soft for Mendenhall and the running game.  It has been a while since you’ve been able to use him as an RB1 but he snuck into my top 10 this week and has to be in your lineup this week.

A.J. Green, WR, CIN – The rookie battle between Patrick Peterson and Green might be spoiled by an injury as Green is currently listed as questionable for this week but he is tough and should they start him, you have to as well.  The deck was stacked against Green this season with a fellow rookie QB and shortened off-season but he has been unbelievable and the match up isn’t really that scary as Peterson has gotten beat often enough.

Tim Tebow, QB, DEN – The Bills defense gives up a lot of yardage on the ground and with the number of carries Tebow gets, he is among the safest options at QB this week. I wouldn’t even be too surprised if he got up over 100 if the game gets out of hand, which isn’t too likely.

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ  - The Jets are currently clinging to a playoff spot tied at an 8-6 record with Cincinnati and playing against the Giants, who have been weak to the ground game this season. Greene is also playing the best football of his career and the offense plays much better when the ground game is effective.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN – Thomas has clearly over-taken Decker as Tebow’s top receiving threat and going on the road to Buffalo means that there will be a a fair amount of yardage to be gained for the Bronco offense.  The run game will be the focus but that means that with 8 men in the box, you can’t double cover Thomas very often.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR – Williams has scored in 2 straight weeks and with Tampa Bay being the 3rd worst rush defense in the NFL, the chances are better than ever that Williams AND Stewart are able to put together another nice game.  Don’t overreact too much though, you have to the play the guys that got you to the playoffs and he certainly wasn’t very helpful this year. But, you could consider him in your flex if you’ve had an injury over the past couple weeks.

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG – Darrelle Revis will be locked on Hakeem Nicks, who has been the top threat over the past few weeks by far. Cruz will be the more targeted of the two and is more likely to have a big game in what can barely be considered a home game for the Jets.

Hate

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL – Joe Haden has been shutting down elite receivers all season and Boldin has been on the slide recently too. Boldin might pull in a TD but he has so little upside, I think you could sit him down easily this week.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA – I know what you are thinking, he has been really consistent over the past few weeks but look at it this way.  The 49ers are the top rush defense in the NFL and have allowed 259 yards fewer than the Ravens, who are in 2nd. Last week, Lynch faced the 8th best rush defense and only managed 40 yards. He did have 2 TDs in that game but the 9ers have yet to allow a single TD on the ground all season.  He’s improved a lot recently but the deck is stacked against him this week. Flex play at best.

Steve Johnson, WR, BUF – Johnson has been battling a groin injury all season long and just as it seemed to be behind him, he re-aggravates it.  On top of that, Champ Bailey comes to town and is one of the most under-rated shut down corners in the league. Another flex play.

Tony Romo, QB, DAL – Romo is usually a no brainer to get the start but this week he falls outside my top 10 against an Eagles secondary that has been much improved over the past couple weeks.  The Cowboys will find that they are more effective on the ground.  Romo will do OK, but I wouldn’t hold your breath for 30 points.

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Love

Beanie Wells, RB, ARI – Wells has had a very solid season in spite of some injuries.  When he has been in there, his production can not be denied. He did have a bad week in week 14 but everyone has against San Francisco this season and I am ready to look past it. Joe Haden will be locked up on Larry Fitzgerald, limiting his impact on the game significantly. Arizona is likely going to get another win this week on the back of Wells.

Jordy Nelson, WR, GB – With Greg Jennings on the sidelines for this coming game, Rodgers will be sure to look towards Jordy Nelson and all the rest of his receivers a bit more often.  The match-up is pretty good against the Chiefs and while we may see the starters on the bench by the 4th quarter again but I think all your Packers are good for a start this week regardless.

Tim Tebow, QB, DEN – There is no softer secondary in the NFL than New England’s.  Tebow is very unlikely to get a win this week but I do think he is very likely to have his highest fantasy point total of the season anyways.  Denver’s grind-it-out offense almost definitely can’t outscore the Pats and Brady but they will limit their production and keep it competitive.  This could be a 350+ yard passing day for the promising second year QB.

Cedric Benson, RB, CIN – The Bengals are on a two game losing streak and are looking to cling to their playoff hopes, which are fading fast, against the league’s worst rush defense. They should have little trouble righting the ship against the Rams, who have been inept all season and especially on defense. Benson is sure to play a big role in this game and is a must-start this week for your playoff match up.

Brandon Marshall, WR, MIA – I expect Miami to focus on the ground game early on and it should be effective against the Bills’ soft defense that has really missed Kyle Williams since he went on IR. This is going to open up the passing game and Marshall should have little trouble racking up stats, especially since Buffalo stopped forcing all the turnovers they were able to cause early in the year.

Felix Jones, RB, DAL – With DeMarco Murray on IR, the running game is now in the hands of Felix.  He handled himself well with a good match up last week and has another this week against the Buccaneers, who have allowed an average of 23.5 yards per game to opposing RBs.  You shouldn’t expect him to top 20 but it is possible and he will do just fine for a play as an RB2 this week.

Hate

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT – He has had a disappointing season and plays the 9ers this week, who are by and far the best rush defense in the league. He fell outside my top 20 so don’t hesitate to put him on your bench if you have better options.

Plaxico Burress, WR, NYJ – I am down on both of the Jets’ receivers this week due to the depth of the Eagles’ secondary. With Vick back the Eagles offense is able to stay on the field more and limit opportunities against their defense too.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR – Houston may be without some of their most important offensive weapons but their defense is still in-tact and playing great. The Panthers’ running backs have been thoroughly un-impressive this season and that is not likely to change with such a tough match up in front of them.  Lower expectations on all Panthers this week.

DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI – He rebounded slightly last week but it wasn’t a huge performance and he is on Revis Island this week.  He might draw some added coverage from Antonio Cromartie because Cromartie is slightly better defending vertical routes, which Jackson runs more often than not.

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Love

Percy Harvin, WR, MIN – Harvin has been great the last couple of weeks.  He has proven his worth as an impact player on that offense and I think he will still have a ton of upside even if Peterson returns.  He wouldn’t quite be a top 10 guy though because of all the carries that he sees with Gerhart carrying the load.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA – Lynch is the hottest back in the NFL at the moment and he is almost sure to run over the Rams as well this week. St. Louis is ranked dead last in the league in rush defense and the Seattle offense has not had any consistency until Lynch started stepping up 5 weeks ago.  This is probably his last week of considerable production given the match ups coming up down the road.

Matthew Stafford, QB, DET – Stafford faces off against the Vikings this week, who have allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. I am expecting big things from both Stafford and Calvin Johnson and just in time for the playoffs.

DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL – Last week Felix Jones was given a chance again to be the difference maker that they hoped for and it was against a soft Cardinals rush defense.  This backfired big time on Dallas and I think Jason Garrett will have to go back to using Murray as the feature back.  New York has allowed some big rushing performances recently and Murray is the Cowboys’ best chance to take sole possession of the division lead this week.

A.J. Green, WR, CIN – If you own Green, you wouldn’t be caught dead benching him.  The match up is rough but at this point you can’t care.  He has managed at least one big play in every game and has been one of the most consistent and productive receivers in the league this year.  He deserves his top 10 status and there are no match ups that will bring him below that mark at this point.

Hate

Mike Wallace, WR, PIT – Wallace faces off against Joe Haden this week.  On top of that, Ray Rice created a pretty solid blue print for dismantling the Browns on the ground.  I fully expect Pittsburgh to keep the ball on the ground like most teams do. To provide some stats, the Browns are only allowing an average of 11.7 fantasy points per game and are the only team that have allowed less than 100 receptions to be made against them.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, TB – The Buccaneer offense needs Blount to provide balance and even then they haven’t been great this year.  Try to leave Blount for a flex play this week as we aren’t sure whether or not Freeman is going to be there this week.

Eric Decker, WR, DEN – Decker has been pretty good for his fantasy owners since Tebow took over.  Last week Thomas stepped up and scored twice as Decker didn’t do much and this week, the Bears are the opponents for Tebow and yardage will be at a premium. I wouldn’t be too shocked to see this game end 10-7.  Tebow and McGahee are about the only offensive players from this game worth a start.

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – Greene is a really good RB2 this week but people are really over reacting to last week and I want to be clear.  Even with the favorable match up he is no more than an RB2.

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Love

Frank Gore, RB, SF – Teams have been beating up on the Rams all season with a punishing rushing game. Gore has yet to play against them yet this year but I have little doubt that he is able to end his slump this week.  The Rams are allowing an average of 159 yards per game to opposing running backs and while Kendall Hunter is bound to see a fair few carries as well, Gore is just about a lock for 100 yards.

Josh Freeman, QB, TB – The Buccaneers are not as well-rounded as they were last year and Freeman has certainly been a part of the problem.  Fortunately, the Panthers defense fixes a lot of issues.  You should start all your typical Buccaneers in this game because Carolina can neither stop the run or the pass. If you need convincing, take a look at the stats the Colts had on offense last week.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG – All the attention is on Cruz lately and Nicks has been very underwhelming this season but I think Nicks is the one due for a huge game. Green Bay is going to win, I am pretty damned sure of it but the Packers have the 31st ranked pass defense in the league and I still trust Nicks more than Cruz.  He is a superior red zone target and when it counts, Eli will look his way.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, NE – The Law Firm has been a very inconsistent player this season and he isn’t totally to blame.  Three backs other than Green-Ellis saw at least 4 carries in the game last week for the Patriots and while Law Firm was by and far the leader with 14, it is incredibly frustrating to see as a Law Firm owner. Don’t sweat it this week against the Colts who can’t stop anyone on the ground.

Andre Johnson, WR, HOU – The Texans are going to have to dig deep to pull off a win against Atlanta this week.  I am not crazy about Johnson this week but Atlanta has a lights-out run defense and eventually, TJ Yates or not, the Texans will have to go to the air.  The only thing that will keep Johnson from producing is opportunity so if he can get a few targets, he will do something with them. I think AJ is a solid WR2 this week.

Hate

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, BUF – The Bills were actually competitive again and Fitz played really well against that Jets D. I’m not sold yet.  The injury report for Buffalo is a mile long and I don’t see them as a high-powered offense without Fred Jackson in the lineup. Make Fitzpatrick do it one more time before you take a gamble and start him with your season on the line.

Johnny Knox, WR, CHI – Hanie played bad on Sunday and while I expect him to improve, I have no reason to expect Knox to put up near the same numbers.  Watching the game last week showed that Knox was on fire and clearly the Bears’ best playmaker but after such a disappointing season I want to see him do it a couple of times before I start to buy in to it. Leave him on the bench.

Arian Foster, RB, HOU – The Texans offense essentially runs through Foster and Tate now but the Falcons have absolutely been shutting down opposing running backs.  You have to start Foster regardless this week but I think he is going to be hard pressed to manage over a hundred yards. Lower expectations and hope for the best this week.

Percy Harvin, WR, MIN – The Vikings really made an effort to get the ball in the hands of Harvin with Peterson sidelined.  Unfortunately the Broncos defense has been playing great in recent weeks and Harvin is not very likely to have a repeat performance.  His speed and skill in the open field mean that you should be starting him in your flex spot anyways but I don’t expect a lot of open space in this game.

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Love

Andre Johnson, WR, HOU – You are right to be concerned about how Johnson will play with Leinart at QB. The only thing is that Jacksonville has a very tough time stopping elite receivers.  Leinart was at one time a starting QB in this league and he is used to having that elite receiver that you can just toss the ball up to.  I expect a very nice game from Johnson this week.

DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL – He had an off game last week and still managed double digit fantasy points.  Miami is on playing really well at the moment but Dallas is too.  As long as Romo doesn’t give the game away with interceptions, I think that Dallas wins this one with relative ease and Murray is the guy that closes it out in the end.

Cam Newton, QB, CAR – I usually have Cam at #2 in my rankings and he is there now.  I would have him at number one but I have seen Aaron Rodgers play this season and that would be insanity.  This match up for Newton is fantastic and I think he has an honest shot at being the week’s top scorer.  You probably don’t need any convincing to start him but I am expecting a huge game this week from the soon to be rookie of the year.

Jordy Nelson, WR, GB – Nelson has been great this season.  He is a big play guy that is able to make that big play with staggering consistency.  I am not ready to rank him above Jennings yet but the fact that I had to think about it is a credit to Nelson’s ability.

Donald Brown, RB, IND – Brown has taken over as the lead back in this offense and while they have been inept this year, Carolina’s defense just may be worse. If your struggling to find a replacement for Fred Jackson, you can do worse than Brown this week.

Hate

Kevin Smith, RB, DET – I ranked Smith poorly this week and partially because I also ranked Jahvid Best. But even if Best does not play, I still would have a hard time starting Smith for this game.  The Lions are at home against the Packers and regardless of how well Detroit has been playing this season I think it would be a huge surprise if they were able to take down the Packers. I expect the Lions to be forced to go to the air early and often in an effort to keep up.  Smith is still a relatively decent flex play because of his ability to catch balls out of the backfield but don’t let that big game cause you to make a foolish decision this week.

Steve Johnson, WR, BUF – The downfall of the Bills has been especially rough on Johnson’s fantasy owners.  He is no longer to be considered a WR2 and is a flex play at best. You should look for another option, especially on Revis island this week.

Sam Bradford, QB, STL – Bradford has been bad this year for fantasy owners. He has an awesome match-up this week but don’t be tempted to use him.  The only guy involved in the Rams’ passing game that I trust is Brandon Lloyd.

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – Normally a running back going against Buffalo ends up on the other list.  But with how well Joe McKnight played after Greene went down last week, I am concerned that there is a time-share about to happen.  Greene is still my favorite to get the lion’s share of the work and remains a low-end RB2 in my ranks.

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Pickups

Kevin Smith, RB, DET – Smith is the one of the biggest surprises of the week as he tallied the most fantasy points of anyone in the NFL on Sunday and yet no one had him started on their team. This obviously makes him very likely to be a hot pick up and with the Jahvid Best injury situation so up in the air, I see no reason why this guy shouldn’t be owned in every league.

Santana Moss, WR, WAS – Even though the Redskins are in shambles, Moss is a very good playmaker that creates bad match ups lined up as the slot receiver.  Shanahan has been pretty good at utilizing him when he was healthy and while the team will likely continue to struggle, Moss should mean good things for their offensive production. He was playing like a WR2 or really good flex-play before his injury.

Toby Gerhart, RB, MINN – Peterson said that he was hoping to be out there next week but he won’t be if he has a high-ankle sprain.  We need to hear the results of today’s MRI to know for sure but if you own Peterson, you can NOT afford to let someone else pick up Gerhart.

Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, CLE – This game was probably the best performance that a running back has had in Cleveland all season.  I still like Hardesty more but until he comes back and plays better than Ogbonnaya, I would rather own Ogbonnaya.

Carson Palmer, QB, OAK – It sure looks like Oakland is a playoff team and they aren’t likely to have their playoff seeding locked up before week 17.  They will only get better when McFadden comes back and Palmer will only get more acclimated to his new surroundings.  I wouldn’t say the sky is the limit but Palmer might just be a top 10 fantasy QB  again the rest of the way. Don’t let him continue to sit on free agency.

CJ Spiller, RB, BUF – Of the big-time injuries that happened to RBs this week, Jackson’s is the one that concerns me the least. Buffalo is reeling from their absurd list of injuries that occurred in this game and they had more than their fair share prior to this week. There are no amount of injuries that justify this performance against the Dolphins but if Jackson does miss a game, which could easily happen, Spiller will be the feature back and is worth a pick up if your throwing a Hail Mary trying to make the playoffs.

Joe McKnight, RB, NYJ – It looks like Greene and LT are both going to be back for the upcoming game against the Bills on Sunday.  If your in a deep league or have an open roster spot, you might want to look at McKnight.  The match-up is great and he ran the ball very well last week.  He may end up being the starting RB for the Jets before long.

Dump List

Maurice Morris, RB, DET – The emergence of Kevin Smith AND the chance that Jahvid Best comes back soon kills Morris’ value. Drop him in all leagues.

Michael Jenkins, WR, MIN – This group of receivers are un-ownable except for Harvin.  His value comes from his versatility and ability to score on a hand off, reception OR kick return. Ponder might be playing solid football but he isn’t a miracle worker and can’t keep Jenkins relevant to fantasy-owners.

Roy Helu, RB, WAS – With Torain appearing to be the starter, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Helu started next week, I am ok with Dropping Helu if you need to fill another spot on your roster. The unpredictability is maddening and I don’t think you can trust any Redskins RB to start at the moment anyways.

Vincent Brown, WR, SD – With Rivers playing so poorly and the offense as a whole struggling as a result, feel free to drop Brown already.  There aren’t many weeks left and with Floyd coming back soon, I don’t think Brown can make me trust him enough to be worth a start in the playoffs.

Ryan Grant, RB, GB – Ok, so we know for sure that the Packers are just going to go to the air against everyone and when they do try and run, it will be with Starks.  There is no reason to own Grant anymore.  His value would remain pretty low even if Starks was placed on IR tomorrow.

Jason Hill, WR, JAC – Hill has been the receiver you want to own this season in Jacksonville but Gabbert hasn’t been able to gel with this offense so far this season and I just can’t imagine holding on to Hill or Mike Thomas in a standard league.  Gabbert was particularly bad this week and I would just cut your loses and get someone else to ride your bench if your still holding one of these guys.

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – If I had to pick a Redskins back to own, it would be Torain. I would assume if you are that desperate for an RB, its a rough season.  If he is just going to sit on your bench, drop him. There is a handcuff that would be better out there anyways.

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Love

DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL – The Redskins are just awful recently and I see no reason for this to change.  Shanahan seems to change his mind about who he is starting at RB by the minute and because of that, this team is in disarray. Even if Murray doesn’t get a big play, he will be used heavily to close out the win after Romo gets it done with his arm.  Murray is inside my top 10 this week and I don’t see him disappointing.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, STL – The Rams still haven’t been playing great outside the game against New Orleans, but they have been in need of a WR with elite skills that can beat man coverage and Lloyd has given them that.  Bradford finally has a guy that he can trust enough to throw the ball up to in a jump-ball scenario and this duo will only get better as they become more and more comfortable with each other.

Tony Romo, QB, DAL – Romo just carved up the Bills secondary to shreds last week and when he is on his game, he is more than capable of huge fantasy point totals.  The Dallas offense has been functioning much more smoothly since the emergence of DeMarco Murray.  He brings a balance to the offense that opposing defenses can NOT ignore and it has meant that his receivers are able to get open deep much more often.

James Starks, RB, GB – With teams on bye and a fair few guys injured, I think Starks could make a VERY nice flex play this week as a fill-in.  Admittedly this offense runs on the arm of Aaron Rodgers but, Carolina is allowing an average of 24.2 fantasy points per game (worst in the NFL) and Starks should be used a bit more than he normally is.  Even if that is done by way of the passing game.

Deion Branch, WR, NE – The Patriots don’t have an elite receiver but they do not need one against KC because the Chiefs don’t have any elite cover-corners.  Since reuniting with Brady, Branch’s career has been rejuvenated and there is no one that has more chemistry with Brady apart from Welker. Branch makes a very interesting flex play this week in what is sure to be a blow out… in prime-time… poor Tyler Palko.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA – I have been very cautions with Lynch as a fantasy player throughout his career.  He has always lacked consistency and the past two weeks are the first back-to-back 100 yard performances of his career.  With a soft match-up and Lynch playing as well as he ever has, the risk is as low as it has been in a while. Go ahead and start him with confidence as an RB2 for this Sunday.

Hate

Chris Johnson, RB, TEN – I am not going to forget about the first half of this season just because Johnson has had two respectable fantasy performances.  As I said in yesterday’s Studs n Duds post, most of Johnson’s production was in garbage time against an exhausted defense.  I also said that I was going to stand up and take notice at how effective Atlanta was at shutting down the Saints’ RBs. Johnson is back outside my top 20 this week but should be ok for a flex-start.

Eric Decker, WR, DEN – Even though Decker is the guy that Tebow looks for the most, I don’t think you can afford to start him this week.  With just two completions for Denver last week and facing the Revis/Cromartie duo, I don’t know if a Bronco wide receiver will have a catch in this entire game.  If one does, good luck guessing who it will be and don’t count on it being a scoring play.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, BUF – Saying that Fitz would barely be a top 20 guy against the Dolphins two weeks ago would have been absurd.  But now the Bills have been terrible and Miami is playing some pretty good football. I think Miami is going to lose but lean on the running game to limit Buffalo’s time of possession and fantasy-production.

Damian Williams, WR, TEN – I want to see how Williams does with teams preparing for him before I trust him so quickly on my fantasy-roster. I think Williams being on top of the depth chart will be a good thing for teammate Nate Washington and actually rank Washington higher this week.  Keep Williams stashed on your bench for now.

Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, CLE – 90 yards was a decent game for Ogbonnaya last week but he had a soft match up against the Rams.  While Jacksonville hasn’t been amazing this year, their run defense is their strong point and this guy had just one point two weeks ago in the starting role. He is barely a viable flex play in my eyes.

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Love

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAC – Most of us doubted whether MJD could stay healthy this entire season and he has shown no signs of old age or wear and tear over the first half the year.  The Colts are an abysmal rush defense and are currently allowing over 21 points per game to opposing RB’s.  MJD is the feature back and workhorse for the entire Jags offense.  He is normally a must-start but I am looking for a huge game from him this week.

Jeremy Maclin, WR, PHI – DeSean Jackson may be a disappointment for fantasy owners this year due in large part to opponents scheming to keep his explosive plays from taking over games.  Maclin is now the top fantasy-receiver on the Eagles offense but this will not signal a shift in who defensive coordinators scheme to stop. Maclin should have a GREAT game this week and DJax should draw the attention of Patrick Peterson the vast majority of the time as well as safety help to stop the deep ball from going to Jackson’s side of the field.

Tim Tebow, QB, DEN – Tebow finally played well last week in a win that likely secured his job as the starter for the rest of the season.  Funny thing is, he has produced fantasy points no matter how bad he has played.  With a match-up against the hapless Chiefs I see no reason why he can’t pass the twenty point mark again this week.  I don’t expect another 100 yards rushing but the Chiefs secondary is vulnerable since they lost Pro Bowler Eric Berry.

Steve Johnson, WR, BUF – I sure hope this isn’t wishful thinking on my part as a Bills fan but I think that Stevie matches up very well against the Cowboys secondary.  They don’t have an elite cover corner to take him out of the game (and even Revis allowed him to gain 80+ yards in a game where the Bills couldn’t get much done at all on offense).  Dallas’ run defense has even been slipping as of late and I think Buffalo’s attack is too well balance for the Cowboys to keep them in check.  If Romo tosses a few INT’s it could get out of hand for Dallas, if he doesn’t throw ANY then they have a serious opportunity to win this game though.  Either way, you have to put Johnson in your lineup.

DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL – You might be worried because Felix Jones is possibly returning for this game against a soft buffalo rush defense that just had to put Pro Bowl Nose Tackle Kyle Williams on IR. This is a serious blow for the Bills and really impacts their chances at making the playoffs.  Jones has been very inconsistent during his time in Dallas and I think that Murray will continue to be the feature back with Jones handling 3rd down work and serving as a change of pace. You shouldn’t need any convincing to start Murray if you have seen him play in the past 3 weeks.

Laurent Robinson, WR, DAL – The Bills secondary might turn the ball over a LOT, but they also allow a lot of yardage to be gained and INT’s don’t negatively impact a receiver’s fantasy point totals.  With this match up being very decent and Robinson having an undeniable chemistry with Romo, you are able to grab Robinson off of waivers and immediately throw him into your flex spot.

Chris Johnson, RB, TEN – While it was encouraging to see CJ over 100 all-purpose yards again last week, that is not why he is on this list.  He has an unbelievably soft match-up against the Panthers, who have been decimated by injuries on defense.  Jon Beason was the glue that held that linebacking corp together and since he went to IR, opponents have been been running all over Carolina.  I just don’t think 8 Panthers defenders in the box is enough to slow Johnson in this game.

Hate

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, NYG – I don’t care how much practice he gets in this week, if any.  I also don’t care if Jacobs gets the start this week either, whoever the Giants play at RB is going to have a horrible fantasy performance against the 49ers, unless they do it in the receiving game. San Fran has only allowed 411 yards rushing and ZERO rushing TD’s this season.  To put that in perspective, there are five teams that have allowed over 1000 yards rushing already. Jacobs is not start-able this week and if Bradshaw plays, he is just a flex play.

Sidney Rice, WR, SEA – The Ravens defense has been lights out and especially against the pass.  I don’t know if anyone has told you this before, but Tavaris Jackson is not that good.  I would be floored if he was able to put up 200 yards in this game and that doesn’t bode well for his receivers.

Ryan Mathews, RB, SD – Oakland has a relatively stout rush defense and with Mathews coming off the injury, I expect him to be eased back in.  The goal line work is definite Tolbert’s and with limited carries, I don’t think Mathews is a must-start.

Julio Jones, WR, ATL – I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see 100 yards and a score from Jones.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see 2 catches for 15 yards either.  This guy is feast or famine and you shouldn’t over react to one game.  If you have a really good group of receivers, then you should feel free to leave the inconsistent guy on your bench of trade him before the deadline.

Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, CLE – He just looked awful last week and while he has a nice match-up, there aren’t any teams on a bye this week and you probably have a better option unless you’ve been bitten by the injury bug.

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Love

Eli Manning, QB, NYG – After starting the season playing very mediocre football, Manning has really stepped it up in recent weeks and helped the Giants hold on to a 2 game lead on the NFC East despite injuries and mistakes. There might not be a team in the league that relies more on their QB to be successful and against a VERY soft Patriots secondary this week, the stats are almost sure to be there for Manning. The Pats have allowed an average of 19 fantasy points per game to opposing QB’s which is third worst in the NFL.

A.J. Green, WR, CIN – Andy Dalton and the Bengals have won 4 straight and look to continue their winning ways against the Titans this week. Each team is just half a game behind the division leader and will be fighting hard to not give up any more ground. Green has been phenomenal this season as there has been just one game where he has not either scored or been over 100 yards. He earned his spot in the top 10 of my WR rankings this week.

Fred Jackson, RB, NYJ – The Jets have struggled to stop the run this year.  They haven’t allowed a lot of big plays, but opposing teams have had little issue grinding out yards with an interior running game.  There is not a back in the NFL that is hotter than Jackson is and with Revis and company likely to limit opportunities down the field for Fitzmagic, Buffalo will need to rely heavily on Jackson.

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG – I talked about the soft match-up in the Eli section and would not be surprised to see Cruz as the top receiver for the Giants this week.  Cruz is just going to keep getting better with each passing week and his big-play ability is impossible to deny at this point.

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – Buffalo is averaging over 30 points per game on offense and has been better at defending against the run this year thanks in large part to Dareus. Rex Ryan and the Jets will NEED to run effectively against the Bills to keep their offense on the sideline. I am confident that Greene will put up some good numbers off the heels of his first 100 yard game since week 7 of his rookie season (2009).

Carson Palmer, QB, OAK – Let’s keep my “Love” of Palmer in perspective. You are not starting him in a standard league unless you are really hurting because of Cam Newton or Matthew Stafford being on bye week.  He isn’t likely to have a huge game here since he is still not in the best of shape and getting acclimated to his new team and offensive scheme. But if you are in a 2 QB league then you can do a LOT worse this week.  Palmer might have McFadden back, which would take a lot of pressure off him and the Broncos are the worst in the NFL at fantasy points allowed to QBs.

Hate

Steve Johnson, WR, BUF – This isn’t all because of Revis Island.  Fitzpatrick WILL look to Johnson when he is in man-coverage with Revis and I could see another game very similar to his past two weeks.  The problem is, he hasn’t been producing lately. He hasn’t hit double digit fantasy points in any of his past 4 games.

Joe Flacco, QB, PIT – The Ravens have really been VERY sloppy recently and the Steelers defense seems to have things turned around. Do you trust Flacco against the team that just shut down Tom Brady from start to finish? I don’t. Not when he was pretty bad against the Cardinals last week.

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – With Tashard Choice joining the Redskins this week off of waivers, I am staying FAR away from Torain.  Helu is the guy I would play if I had to, but I would do anything you can to just leave all your Redskins on the bench. Apart from Fred Davis.

Antonio Brown, WR, PIT – I am pretty well sold on Brown at this point.  He is a play maker and a good deep threat. My issue with him is only for this week against the Ravens.  I think Ben will have a very tough time staying upright in this game and I don’t see Brown able to get too much done. He remains a very viable flex play in my rankings though as he has been targeted more than Steve Johnson, AJ Green, Greg Jennings, Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin and Vincent Jackson this season.

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