Harvin, Austin ready to roll
The first week of the fantasy playoffs began with an uninspired affair in Pittsburgh. I suspect many owners left Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown planted firmly on their benches, scared off by the Browns’ lofty ranking against the pass.
They watched as Roethlisberger tossed a quick touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery and gritted their teeth. He then left with a leg injury and callous owners (they were ill-concerned with his injury) who left Roethlisberger on the bench let out a half-breath of relief. He returned to action and put a huge punctuation on his day with a 79-yard touchdown connection with Brown (five receptions for 151 yards).
Owners of Mike Wallace (four receptions for 57 yards) and Rashard Mendenhall (76 rushing yards) were left wanting. Mendenhall owners were particularly salty, as he failed in several goal-line tries. He’s the frontrunner for the receipt of fist-shaking vitriolic rants by disgruntled fantasy owners. In honor of his colossal failure in Week 13 against the Panthers, we’re calling it the “LeGarrette Blount Award.”
Let’s back to the field and set the scene for this round of playoff action.
Exclude: Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Roddy White, Victor Cruz, Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, A.J. Green, Vincent Jackson, Jordy Nelson, Laurent Robinson, Dez Bryant
Week 14 WR Heroes
Stevie Johnson at SD: Johnson has scored in back-to-back games while amassing 13 receptions for 127 yards. He’ll work for the hat trick in San Diego this weekend against the middling Chargers secondary. The Chargers have allowed 212.4 passing yards and 1.8 passing touchdowns per game. Take the high expected target count in a shootout.
Anquan Boldin vs. IND: Boldin rates as perhaps the most frustrating No. 1 wide receiver in the game. He’s scored just once in his past six games and logged more than 63 receiving yards once during this period.
Still, it’s hard to turn away from this week’s match-up against the woeful Colts. Indianapolis has allowed the seventh-most points to wide receivers. If Joe Flacco is ever to produce a “breakout” game, this would appear to be the spot.
Percy Harvin at DET: Harvin has been an absolute beast in the past four weeks for the Vikings, producing 28 receptions for 376 yards with four touchdowns. He’s on the board for another big effort in Week 14 as the Vikings (and Joe Webb) try to keep pace with Matthew Stafford and the Detroit offense.
According to reports, Harvin tore a ligament in his finger during a mid-week practice, but he’s not expected to miss time.
Miles Austin vs. NYG: Fantasy owners are set to welcome Austin back to action following his four-game absence. He’s been limited in mid-week practices, but reports from Dallas place him back into the starting lineup against the Giants on Sunday night. The Giants have allowed the fourth-most points to wide receivers.
The key to this game is obviously the offensive line’s ability to slow the heretofore inconsistent New York pass rush. If Romo gets time to pass (Fiammetta also return to bolster the running game), he’ll post a monster day. Austin bounces Laurent Robinson down a few spots, but all three receivers warrant WR2 tags.
Michael Crabtree at ARI: Crabtree caught four passes for a season-high 96 yards with a touchdown in Week 13 against the Rams. He’s quietly started to produce consistent numbers in support of Alex Smith, having caught four or more passes in six of his past seven starts with two touchdowns.
Crabtree torched the Cardinals for 120 yards on seven receptions in the Week 11 meeting. He’s set for another strong outing this week. The Cardinals have allowed the ninth-most points to wide receivers.
Julio Jones at CAR: Jones incurred the wrath of fantasyland for his mistakes during the Falcons’ Week 13 loss, including his dropping a would-be touchdown pass at time expired. He recorded four receptions for 68 yards, but it could have been a glorious return to the field.
The formula to beating the Panthers is to run the ball early and often, so clearly Michael Turner’s legs will be taxed. Still, I anticipate a better overall performance from Jones (four receptions for 68 yards in Week 13) in getting his timing back with Matt Ryan.
Santana Moss vs. NE: Moss lost his tag team partner in Fred Davis (suspension) and Jabar Gaffney sustained a foot injury. Still, Moss is a fantastic option against the New England pass defense. The Patriots have yielded the most points to wide receivers this season.
The Patriots still rank 13th in total defense at 20.6 points allowed per game, but the usual performance turned in by Tom Brady forces opponents into a pass-heavy mode. That’s music to the ears of Rex Grossman. New England has allowed 324.5 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game.
Mike Williams at JAC: The Jaguars’ secondary has been decimated in the past several weeks. You saw Philip Rivers deliver a “get right” game in Week 13 with nearly 300 passing yards and three touchdowns. I certainly don’t place the Buccaneers’ offense at the same level of the Chargers, but the injuries in Jacksonville have piled up in a hurry. As a result, take the Jaguars’ defensive statistics with a grain of salt.
Williams has been a consistent PPR performer in recent weeks, and he still delivered a solid stat line in the crushing defeat against the Panthers in Week 13 (five passes for 93 yards) with Josh Johnson under center.
Malcom Floyd vs. BUF: Floyd returned to action in Week 13 and produced a huge game against the depleted Jacksonville secondary (four receptions for 108 yards with a touchdown). He’s a strong WR3 option at first glance and may bounce up a few slots for this home tilt. I’m monitoring the status of Buffalo safety George Wilson, who has returned to practice, before elevating Floyd too high. The Bills surrender 243.5 passing yards and 1.75 passing touchdowns per game.
Week 14 WR Flop Alerts
Dwayne Bowe at NYJ: Bowe caught four passes for 47 yards against the Bears, his lowest output since Week 10 (he posted 17 receiving yards against Champ Bailey). He hasn’t found the end zone since Week 5, and that streak won’t end on Sunday against Darrelle Revis with Tyler Palko under center. Remember, Palko’s lone touchdown pass came in the “Hail Mary!” situation with Dexter McCluster last week. Bowe is no better than a mid-WR3 this week.
Larry Fitzgerald vs. SF: It’s been a frustrating season for Fitzgerald (and his fantasy owners). He’s recorded 55 receiving yards or fewer in four of his past five games, though he did post a three-game scoring streak between Weeks 9 and 11 (four touchdowns during this period). Fitzgerald still ranks as a WR2 option because of his potential, but this is hardly a stellar spot. The 49ers limited Fitzgerald to 41 receiving yards in Week 11, though he did find the end zone.
Brandon Lloyd at SEA: Lloyd caught one pass for 34 yards in Week 13, thus ending his three-game scoring streak. He’d registered at least four receptions in six straight games since joining St. Louis with four touchdowns prior to last week’s disappearing act. Lloyd’s talent cannot be questioned, but you’re looking at Tom Bradstater stepping under center against a Seattle defense that defends its home turf. He still rolls in as a WR3 option, but temper your expectations.
Brandon Marshall vs. PHI: Marshall needs just 90 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, but he’s been a risky proposition for owners in standard leagues. He’s produced six games with at least 79 yards, but he’s been quieted in his other six starts.
Nnamdi Asomugha returned to practice this week for the Eagles and will shadow Marshall. I love what Matt Moore and Reggie Bush have done in recent weeks, but I’m not anticipating a scoring barrage in this one. Marshall’s locked in that tough individual matchup against a motivated Philadelphia defense coming out of the extended layoff.
Week 14 WR Ninja Alerts
Torrey Smith vs. IND: Smith has been a classic boom-or-bust receiver in the past five weeks. During this period, he’s posted three games with 32 receiving yards or fewer. Smith logged 71 and 165-yard efforts with touchdown receptions in his other two starts.
I’ll put him on the board as a mid-tier WR3 option this week against the heretofore pathetic Indianapolis pass defense. The Colts have surrendered the seventh-most points to wide receivers. Of course, if you’re starting Smith, you’re endorsing Joe Flacco. That’s been a difficult proposition in recent weeks.
Brad Smith at SD: In the past three weeks, this former return specialist has emerged as a consistent No. 2 option opposite Stevie Johnson. He’s amassed 14 receptions for 184 yards with a touchdown (back-to-back efforts of 77 and 72 yards).
He’s an intriguing deep flier (I have him 44th among wideouts) for desperate owners in this road game against the Chargers. The San Diego pass defense ranks sixth in the NFL at 202.9 yards allowed per game. However, the Chargers have ceded 22 touchdown receptions. I’m looking to this game as a potential shootout. Take the expanded target count and deep ball potential.
Golden Tate vs. STL: Tate scored for the second consecutive week and produced a solid overall effort in the Week 13 victory over Philadelphia. He caught all four of his targets for 47 yards from Tarvaris Jackson and stands to amass a decent target count this week against the Rams (sixth-most points allowed to wide receivers).
Devin Aromashodu at DET: Aromashodu was targeted a league-high (tie) 15 times in Week 13 against the Broncos. He registered six receptions for 90 yards in the loss and may take on a large role once again for the Vikings with Percy Harvin ailing. Aromashodu also spent ample time working with probable starter Joe Webb in the second unit.
Jacoby Jones at CIN: I throw out Jones as the final deep threat (literally and figuratively) for Sunday’s trip to Cincinnati. Andre Johnson is not expected to play after leaving the Texans’ Week 13 win over Atlanta because of a hamstring injury. As a result, a new option needs to emerge in support of T.J. Yates.
Is Jones a risky play? That’s absolutely true. Still, the big-play potential is there against a Cincinnati secondary that has been more porous following Leon Hall’s injury.