Category: NFL

Kevin Smith Is A Must Start

Although Detroit running back Kevin Smith is owned in just seventy percent of fantasy leagues, he is a must start in week seventeen.

Analysis: Smith is coming off of a solid two touchdown performance against the Chargers and has carried the rock fifteen times in each of his last two contests. The Lions get the Packers in week seventeen and expect Detroit to use their running game as the score should not get out of hand because Green Bay will rest their starters. Green Bay does allow 4.7 yards per carry this year which is the seventh worst in the NFL and with the second string in who knows what to expect? If Kevin Smith is available or is on your squad then he is a must start this week.

Evan Royster is another back that you may want to consider picking up to see if he’ll get another start in place of the injured Roy Helu in week seventeen. Royster put up 132 rushing yards on nineteen carries with a score last week against the Vikings. If Roy Helu cannot go this coming week against the Eagles, Royster should be on the end of fifteen plus carries.

Deep League Help- Titus Young

Titus Young recorded his third touchdown in his last five games Sunday afternoon in Oakland.

Analysis: Although Titus Young only amassed twenty-one receiving yards Sunday, there are still plenty of reasons to like the rookie. Young did record five receptions on a solid ten targets and he was targeted another seven times last week. As mentioned before, he’s scored three touchdowns in his last five games and he should continue to be a hit or miss option in deeper leagues.

The Lions have attempted the third most passes in the NFL and they will continue to sling the rock the remaining two weeks of the season against the Chargers and Packers. Considering Young is available in well over ninety percent of fantasy leagues you definitely have some time to figure out what your roster needs down the stretch before you have to pick him up. Greg Little is another deep league wide out that is widely available that you may want to consider. Little put up 131 yards and a score on nine targets Sunday. He may be a longshot but with games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh coming up, the Cleveland passing game will be relied upon heavily.

Injury Impact- Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings is out two to three weeks with a sprained MCL. There are plenty of replacement options on the wire but who will produce the most going forward?

Analysis: Even though Tim Tebow is a wide out’s worst nightmare in terms of stats, Demaryius Thomas has put up big numbers as of late. Thomas has three touchdowns, two-hundred plus receiving yards and twenty targets in his last two games. Thomas is Tim Tebow’s go-to-guy and you have to love that he is available in about ninety percent of fantasy leagues. He is a great replacement for Jennings who will continue to be one heavily targeted wide out.

Another potential fantasy replacement for Greg Jennings is Donald Driver. Jennings’ targets have to go somewhere and since Jordy Nelson is not available, Donald Driver makes the most sense. James Jones has been held without a reception in two and his last four games while Donald Driver has two seventy plus yard games and two touchdowns in his last four contests. If a widely available fantasy wide out on Green Bay will produce in Jennings’ absence, it will be Donald Driver more so than Jones. Unlike Demaryius Thomas who has WR2 potential, Driver’s upside is just a WR3 but he’s still worth a look.

Stock Rising- TJ Yates

Houston quarterback TJ Yates is now 2-0 in two career starts with a 82.3 passer rating.

Analysis: In deeper leagues you have to take TJ Yates over guys like Colt McCoy, Rex Grossman and even Alex Smith. Yates threw for 300 yards Sunday in Cincy and did so only throwing one pick with two touchdowns in forty-four attempts. Tack on thirty-six rushing yards and you have yourself one versatile quarterback. Yates could not be in a better situation- he has Arian Foster and Ben Tate pounding the rock and one Mr. Andre Johnson who should be returning very soon.

You also have to love Yates’ next two matchups- Carolina and at Indy. Carolina and Indy both rank in the bottom third of the NFL in yards allowed per game and they are also in the bottom four of the NFL in points per game allowed. The matchups don’t get any better for a rookie that led his team to a road victory against a tough Cincy defense. This rookie from North Carolina is athletic enough to get some yards on the ground and in some deeper leagues he can certainly serve a purpose.

Two Underrated Wide Outs

Santana Moss and Antonio Brown are going under the radar as week fourteen starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

Analysis: Antonio Brown has caught sixty or more receiving yards in six straight games now and in four of those six games he has caught five or more balls. That is impressive for a wide out who is only owned in about sixty percent of fantasy leagues nationwide. Yes, he only has one touchdown on the year and at 5’10” he isn’t the best red zone target, but he is being targeted heavily as of late. At this point Antonio Brown is more of a valuable fantasy commodity than a Nate Washington or a Johnny Knox.

With Santana Moss you have a wide out primed to put up big numbers coming from behind this week against New England and in week fifteen against the New York Giants. Like Antonio Brown, he is available in a good chunk of leagues and when healthy he always produces. Moss is coming off of a five reception, twelve target, forty-two yard game in a touch matchup with the Jets. With tight end Fred Davis suspended for the rest of the year, Santana Moss should see tons of targets and needs to be owned in all leagues.