FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 15

Rob Gronkowski left the field, not to return for the rest of the year. (GETTY)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.PLAYOFF EDITION: We're not focusing on lower % owned players, but those with choice match-ups for the playoffs. 

Well, if your league didn't start the playoffs last week, they certainly are this week. What a way to kick things off. Week 14 was the highest scoring week in NFL history with 104 touchdowns total. Yes, if you didn't put up a lot of fantasy points this weekend, then I don't know what to tell you. 

As if the high scoring wasn't enough, there was a storm that passed through the East coast leading to some snow bowls. None quite as ridiculous as the Eagles and Lions game, which I attended. The snow fall was so severe in the first half that I left my plastic beer cup in the cup holder and within 15 minutes it was filled with snow. You couldn't really see what was going on 35 yards down field, and replays on the big screens looked like your cable went out. Note: LeSean McCoy was not affected.



So we have scoring, we have snow, we have fun gifs - what else? Well, there was a coach fired, another coach seeming wanting to be fired, a failed miracle play in Pittsburgh due to another sideline controversy, oh and Alshon Jeffery.

There's fun football weeks, there's great football weeks, and then there's Week 14. Well, for a small percentage of fantasy players Week 14 wasn't all snowballs and points. Yes, two major injuries went down. Rob Gronkowski, fresh of his multiple arm breaks, was hit low in a gruesome hit by Browns' safety T.J. Ward (at least it wasn't Bernard Pollard) nullifying him for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. The other injury wasn't as severe, but just as brutal for fantasy owners as Adrian Peterson picked up a foot injury. The most recent reports don't show Peterson's foot injury as serious - as in surgery serious - but will likely cause him to miss Week 15 and potentially sit out for the rest of the year as a precautionary measure because if you're the Vikings, really, what's the point of throwing him back out there?

Ideally, if you're a contending team you have solid back-ups, but it's a big blow regardless. The best part of the playoffs though is that you don't need Toby Gerhart to carry your hopes and dreams for 6 weeks, just a couple, and match-ups play a big part in possibly getting through these kinds of injuries.

God speed to you fellow fantasy players, and let's look at some Love/Hate (h/t +Matthew Berry , Flames/Lames (h/t Brad Evans).

Cam Newton is here to rescue you. (winsnlosses.com)

QB - Nick Foles, PHI @ +Minnesota Vikings, Cam Newton, CAR v NYJ

Yes, you can't keep Nick Foles down. You just can't! He's walking into another favorable match-up against the Vikings. I doubt the crowd in Minny will cause much of a fuss, and Foles should have time to pile up the stats. The one stat I heard that caused me some pause was that Foles - unexpectedly - is among the league leaders in seconds it takes to get rid of the football. You'd assume that in Chip Kelly's offense he'd be winging it around, and although this past weekend was a bad indicator of this as visibility was terrible in the first half, I did start to notice it watching some of his past highlights. This is certainly a kudos to the Eagles' offensive line, but should they have an off day, the Vikings do have the D-line to cause some issues.

It's hard not to have a love/hate relationship with Cam Newton. He can pile up the points with the best of them, but sometimes he just goes into stink mode and doesn't do anything. He is running at a higher clip recently averaging 9.45 yards per carry and had at least 2 touchdowns in 3 of the last 4 weeks. He gets the Jets at home, and he will be looking to bounce back from a poor performance in New Orleans.

If you're desperate: Jason Campbell, CLE v CHI, Ryan Tannehill, MIA v +New England Patriots 

These are both great match-up plays for two relatively low % owned quarterbacks. If Campbell can make it through the game, he can just launch balls to Josh Gordon all day and it just appears that Josh Gordon will undoubtedly catch them. Also as a note, last week's pick-up at TE Jordan Cameron came back to life with Campbell tossing him the football. A good sign all around.

The Dolphins and Bengals are both teams I quit on. The Dolphins around the whole bullying incident and the Bengals when they lost Geno Atkins and Leon Hall. Well, they've proven me wrong and cost me gambling dollars in the process. For all the conversation that goes around having young quarterbacks in the right situation, it certainly appears that Tannehill has been in anything but that. However, he's improved over the course of the year, and has a high floor. He's recorded double digit fantasy points in every game this year (his lowest output being 12.88 at New England in Week 8) and he's put up 19, 22 and 24 fantasy points the last 3 weeks at Carolina and on the road against the Jets and Steelers respectively. Pretty impressive, young Tannehill.

RB - Marshawn Lynch, SEA @ +New York Giants, Shane Vereen, NE @ +Miami Dolphins 

Yes, I love Shady McCoy and Jamaal Charles, but here are two lower projected backs that I think will have a big day. The Giants have only pride to play for, and the Seahawks will be travelling a long way for another road game after a tough loss to San Francisco. I would expect Lynch to see the ball a lot to set up Seattle's play action and to grind the game down after the Seahawks go up big. Take note of the stadium in New Jersey, Seahawks, you might very well be back there in a couple of months.

Vereen graduates from "If you're desperate" to start him this week. He established himself in a big way last week with 153 receiving yards, and with Gronk out there will be an even greater focus on Vereen and Julian Edelman.

If you're desperate: Alfred Morris, WAS @ +Atlanta Falcons, Ryan Mathews, SD @ +Denver Broncos 

Well, this Washington team is a mess. We're not sure who is starting for the Shanahan led squad, but if it's Robert Griffin III or Kurt Cousins it really won't matter for Morris. The run option plays that led to Morris' breakout campaign last year have been thrown out of the playbook due to their ineffectiveness, not wanting RGIII to run and get hurt, or both. When Washington trails, they don't run the ball, but this week, they won't have any other options. Now only if Shanahan would give Morris the red zone touches as well, we'd be on to something!

For all the ills that Mathews has caused in his career. Fantasy owners can't be disappointed in what he's given to them this year as a much lower round draft pick. The injuries are still lingering, but he's gotten steady carries and steady production. I do like him more than Toby Gerhart simply because the Eagles defense - who Gerhart will face - has been playing much better lately, especially at keeping teams out of the end zone. He's a good desperation play if your bench running backs consist of BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Lamar Miller, but Mathews has more upside.

WR - Calvin Johnson, DET v +Baltimore Ravens, Alshon Jeffery, CHI @ CLE, Andre Johnson - HOU @ +Indianapolis Colts, A.J. Green, CIN @ +Pittsburgh Steelers 

Lots of big time receivers lining up for big time games. You would think A.J. Green is a no brainier, and he really is, but while his season has been good, it's been spectacularly quiet. The numbers are there, but he's not in that top tier of receivers I thought he'd be coming into the season. Facing Joe Haden multiple times a season won't help, but you wonder if Andy Dalton is taking his toll on Green.

I'll never question Jeffery ever.

If you're desperate: Torrey Smith, BAL v +Detroit Lions , Anquan Boldin, SF @ +Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN v +Philadelphia Eagles, Julian Edelman, NE @ +Miami Dolphins 

Two of these three are total home run plays. Smith and Patterson have the potential to go off. Smith is actually a very nice play against the Lions, and Patterson is starting to figure things out as of late. Boldin will likely be the guy not covered by Darelle Revis, which is always nice. Sorry, Michael Crabtree.

TE - Jordan Cameron, CLE v CHI, Charles Clay, MIA v +New England Patriots 

Cameron is back baby! And don't let the Cowboys' terrible performance Monday night fool you, the Bears' defense isn't very good.

If you haven't enjoyed a week out of Charles Clay then shame on you. The FAABulous favorite has 6 TD's on the year and is approaching 700 yards receiving. He's outperformed Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Antonio Gates.

If you're desperate: Delanie Walker, TEN @ +Denver Broncos, Zach Miller, SEA - v +New York Giants 

The tricky thing with Walker is he's a Thursday night play which, if it goes poorly, puts you in a hole. But he would be my #1 widely available addition to replace Gronk. Miller is a more risky play, but his match up in NJ is a favorable one. He has shown the ability to make a big play here or there, and he slightly beat out Brent Celek, who is even more TD dependent than Miller.

Plus, now we need more options at TE than ever since we can all accept that Ladarius Green is just a figment of fantasy experts' imagination and move on with our lives.

K - Stephen Gostkowski, NE @ +Miami Dolphins, Mason Crosby, GB @ +Dallas Cowboys 

People want to keep ranking Crosby so low, and I don't understand it. If the Aaron Rodgers injury benefited anyone fantasy wise it's Crosby, and he hasn't disappointed all year.

DEF - Carolina v +New York Jets, San Francisco @ +Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Yes, you're playing Seattle against the Giants, and Kansas City is capable of still giving bad teams trouble, but Carolina going up against the Geno Smith or Matt Simms combo platter? Yippy skippy.

FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 9

Key injuries are cause for concern for fantasy owners. (seattlepi.com)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.

The past couple of weeks we have covered the rash of injuries to hit some of the NFL's key players. In fantasy leagues losing a Julio Jones for the year is devastating, but for better or worse you have to move on. You cut Jones, add one of the fine alternatives as suggested by your humble narrator, and you keep on trucking.

But now, as these injuries pile up, we have to focus on the collateral damage. The players affected indirectly by these notable injuries, and really put on the - I don't want to say panic hat, but let's say - worry hoodie. 

For every key injury, a team gets weaker. Players do have the ability to rise above these kinds of things, but here are some elite fantasy options that have had their legs cut out from under them so far. Let's take a look at a couple of them and see if we should stick it out or look for better options.

THE QUARTERBACKS
Russell Wilson, SEA 
Key Injuries: Russell Okung - OT, Breno Giacomini - OT

If you're the Rams you have to feel a little slighted about your 14-9 loss last night on Monday Night Football. You were within a goal line stand of defeating one of the best teams in football on a night where hardly anyone in St. Louis cared about football, and all you hear is how bad the Seahawks looked. Well, there's a reason for that. Both starting offensive tackles are injured and without them, not only is the pass protection poor, but this also greatly limits Seattle's run game and play action attack. 

It's a bad scene, but the good news is that it will get better for the Seahawks. Pete Carroll is hopeful Okung can make it back this year, and Giacomini has a much more positive outlook. With an easy schedule over the next couple of weeks, and the imminent return of Percy Harvin don't lose faith in Wilson.
DECISION: HOLD

Matt Ryan, ATL
Key Injuries: Roddy White - WR, Julio Jones - WR, Stephen Jackson - RB

At the beginning of the year if you had to talk about what the Falcons' keys to success were this year, it probably had a lot to do with all of those guys I just named. Jones is the only one lost for the year, but White hasn't been the same as he's battled an ankle injury all year before finally missing some games which allowed teams to double team Tony Gonzalez and leave Ryan with few options. 

Jackson hasn't been healthy either and he hasn't shown much punch when he has been in there, so with Jaquizz Rodgers an effective weapon in his absence there could be less of Jackson on the field.

Sure Ryan has had adequate fill-ins at WR like Harry Douglas and someone I'll mention in a few, but can he really keep this going? He had a stinker of a game last week, and while the pass attempts will be up there, high volume throwing has never been Ryan's calling card. 
DECISION: SELL

Tom Brady, NE
Key Injuries: Danny Amendola - WR, Shane Vereen - RB, Sebastian Vollmer - OT, Rob Gronkowski - TE, Vince Wilfork - DT, Jerod Mayo - LB, Aquib Talib - CB

That's a lot of names. Sure, Sebastian Vollmer and Jerod Mayo doesn't jump off the page, but for every massive injury on offense the Pats have sustained, there's been a huge loss at every level of the defense over the past couple of weeks. A poor defense puts a lot of pressure on an offense, and with key injuries on that front the Pats can't operate like they would like.

It's easy to pass a lot of the blame on injuries, but Brady has not been good this year. You have to scroll pretty far down to find him on Football Outsider's DVOA ranks, and if you just watch him he's not as sharp as he used to be; especially down field. Having Amendola healthy (for however many quarters that lasts) and Gronk gaining steam can only help, but there are legit concerns for this team. If anyone can make a big turnaround in the second half, it's Brady, but you can't be certain.
DECISION: SELL


THE RUNNING BACKS
LeSean McCoy, PHI
Key Injury: Michael Vick - QB

Believe it or not, there was a QB controversy in Philadelphia. Vick or Foles was the question and it's looking more and more likely that neither is the answer. After Foles' epic choke job against the Cowboys, Vick re-injured his sensitive hamstring leaving mortified Philly fans to watch Matt Barkley play 4+ quarters of NFL football. Foles might possibly be back this week at Oakland, but Barkley is taking first team reps today.

It's pretty clear that McCoy is a more effective runner with Vick than Foles (there is an article somewhere on Philly.com I read that broke it down ... if I had a research team I'm sure I'd link to it), and with Matt Barkley, well, McCoy might not want to make the trip West. 

These past two weeks aren't the best to review the Eagles as they've been horrible, but there are several positives for McCoy moving forward. He is the undisputed back on a once mighty offense. He will get his opportunities, and the schedule is a favorable one for him. There is upside to jump on here, so I'd only move McCoy for another Top 10 back.
DECISION: HOLD, UNLESS YOU GET A TOP BACK IN RETURN

Matt Forte, CHI
Key Injury: Jay Cutler - QB

I'm electing to Trust in Trestman. Josh McCown looked good when he stepped in for Cutler against Washington, and the schedule in the coming weeks isn't too bad. I think there will be a lot of focus on getting Forte the ball, and McCown can make that happen.
DECISION: HOLD

THE WIDE RECEIVERS
Josh Gordon, CLE
Key Injury: Brian Hoyer - QB
Key Decision: Jason Campbell starting over Brandon Weeden

People love throwing Josh Gordon the football. He has at least 6 targets in the last 4 weeks, and when he gets the ball, he makes big plays. I'm sure most of Cleveland and all of Gordon's fantasy owners are hoping that Campbell stays at QB, but you never know what Cleveland is going to do. The caveat here is that there have been rumors since the beginning of the season that Gordon could be traded. That is looking more and more unlikely, but a move to a contender could boost his value even higher. 
DECISION: HOLD

Vincent Jackson, TB
Key Injuries: Doug Martin - RB, Carl Nicks, OG, Greg Schiano - HC

I think it's pretty clear that the Buccs hate Greg Schiano. The disciplinarian model doesn't mean failure in the NFL, but you have to have a personality to back it up. I wonder if Schiano's time at Rutgers, a decent football school but not elite, didn't give him the skills to manage high level talent? 

Some injuries took their toll on this team, and cutting their starting quarterback a couple of weeks into the season isn't great either. Oh, and there was also an infectious disease outbreak in the locker room. So this is either a bad football team or a bad football team that is being cursed by God or something. The good news for V-Jax is that none of this bothers him. He makes big plays and gets the football. Even with Mike Glennon hurling footballs around, Jackson should demand and get several deep balls per game. His production will be sporadic, but he has plenty of big games in him.
DECISION: HOLD

Just another victim.

Emmanuel Sanders, PIT - WR (50%) +New England Patriots 

Slowly ... extremely slowly, the Steelers look to be figuring something out. Not exactly dominating, but at least not being embarrassing. Sanders deserves a bench spot.

Daniel Thomas, MIA - RB (16%) v. Cincinnati

Lamar Miller is owned in 84% of leagues. Thomas should be owned in just as much. There can be arguments that Miller isn't getting a fair shake at the majority of carries or he has and just hasn't delivered, but Joe Philbin is trotting both of them out there. I mean Miller is averaging 4.5 YPC compared to Thomas' 3.5, so I'm sure it's not just a numbers thing, but oh well.

Montee Ball, DEN - RB (38%) BYE

Knowshon Moreno owners don't want you to know this, but this is what we've feared all season long. At some point, for some reason, the Broncos are going to decide they need to ease up on the oft-injured Moreno and start getting Montee Ball the football. Ball's touches last week against Washington were many but produced little. He did get some goal line looks, and Moreno has already lost one TD to a stupid reason. So who knows what's in store. It'd be shocking if the Broncos turned the pass catching and pass blocking part of Moreno's game over to Ball - especially with Peyton Manning dinged up, but crazier things have happened.

Peyton Hillis, NYG - RB (40%) BYE

Has a football player gone from more likable to less likable so quickly than Hillis? One year he's bowling over defenders and winning Madden Cover votes, the next he's sitting out games for no reason, demanding more money and ruining his career. Well after a shot in Tampa Bay, he's on the Giants and showing a little spring in his step. 70 yards against the Eagles is nothing to do double back-flips about, but it's something. He would most assuredly be the goal line back until Andre Brown returns.

Dexter McCluster, KC - RB/WR (5%) +Buffalo Bills 

We've all been waiting for it. Begging for it. The day when McCluster becomes scat-back extraordinaire. Ultimately, that time may never come, but Andy Reid has found some use for McCluster. In the Chiefs conservative offense, McCluster has worked well as a receiver for Alex Smith. Captain Check-down has turned his nose up at Dwayne Bowe and made McCluster an apple in his orchard. If I would have told you McCluster and Bowe would have similar value going into Week 9 you probably would have told me to jump in a slow cooker and die, but that's where we are.

PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

Lance Moore, NO - WR (28%) +New York Jets 

Marques Colston has done something to offend Drew Brees. He's not getting any looks. Even with Jimmy Graham semi-injured and Darren Sproles doing zilch, Colston still only managed 3 receptions for 18 yards last week. Lance Moore re-introduced himself with a touchdown catch, but I'd rather have Kenny Stills than Moore.

THE 1%

Drew Davis, ATL - WR (1%) +Carolina Panthers 

Who needs Julio Jones and Roddy White? The Falcons have Harry Douglas and Drew Davis! Davis is getting as many snaps as Douglas and if Douglas is in Jones' role, than Davis is in White's. Of course Roddy should be back at some point this year, making Douglas the better long-term add, but Davis has some short-term value.

Joel Dreessen, DEN - TE (1%)

Bonus 1%! Broncos have a much needed bye this week, but it's worth noting that Julius Thomas has a knock on his ankle, and he should be fine coming out of the bye, but any time you can potentially add a piece of the Denver offense, you must take note.

PERSONS OF INTEREST 

Noteworth players that have previously been mentioned on FAABulous that are still un-owned in 50% of leagues.

Marvin Jones, CIN - WR (22%), Terrelle Pryor, OAK - QB (36%), Tim Wright, WR/TE - TB (5%), Mike Tolbert, CAR - RB (21%), Kenny Stills, NO - WR (9%), Aaron Dobson, WR - NE (23%)

FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 9

Michael Vick was Andy Reid's choice. And while it looked brilliant for a season, it's been a precipitous drop from glory. (AP)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.

As I mentioned last week, this week would be declaration week. A time in which teams have shown their true colors and we can safely assess their prospects as well as individual player "realness" in regards to continued performance and ability to produce through the second half of the season. Hot streaks be damned, each player and team has had more than enough time to put up or shut up.

The Eagles, and not just Michael Vick, are falling apart.

On Sunday, the Eagles lost their first game ever in Andy Reid's tenure after a bye week (12-1). Now that record does mean a little something, but ultimately it's more a novelty record than anything. Overreacting to a crushing loss to the only unbeaten team in football is nothing to be up in arms about, but for the first time in Reid's career in Philadelphia, this team truly seems lost. Appropriately the Eagles dawned black jerseys because Sunday might as well have been a funeral.

There have been good teams and bad, teams that needed a little kneading to turn make that dough rise and achieve success, but this Eagles team is one that has no identity or purpose.

A lot of the conversation circles around Reid and Michael Vick. This isn't surprising, but while Vick has amassed and unseemly amount of turnovers this year, he's not the only person to blame. Most of the blame should in fact fall on Reid. Reid has turned his solid success into a Belichick-ian or Shanahanny type reign where all power and personnel decisions go through him. Out of virtually any team the Eagles have ever had in his tenure, this is Reid's vision. He made Vick one of the most dominant QB's in football (not just a flashy runner, but a true QB threat), he extended DeSean Jackson and signed Nnamdi Asomugha to large extensions. His play calling and clock management have always been in question, but his stubbornness to adapt and improve is what is ultimately leading to his downfall.

It isn't a stretch to say that the Andy Reid that coached his first game in 1999 with Doug Pederson is virtually no different from the coach that took the filed Sunday and led a listless team to an underserving 3-4 record (they could have easily been much worse). Sure he has some more gravitas, some wins and NFC titles under his belt, but the strategic and game management side have only grown more tiresome and frustrating. Once Reid was able to successfully take the reigns of this team a couple of years ago, team owner Jeffrey Lurie, who always has supported Reid, let him know that continuing to fail to adapt, to fail to make key subtle personnel decisions (improving draft picks, developing players, not just QB's) would put Reid in the cross-hairs should the Eagles fail to perform again.

Reid has responded by doing more of the same thing. Exposing Vick by having him throw all game long. Neglecting the run game and establishing or at least attempting to keep the opposing team's defense on their heels. This was an Eagles team, under the helm of Vick, two years ago that was one of the most explosive offenses in football. Now, they've been relegated to dinks and dunks. Wide receiver screens and quick slants to Jason Avant. There is a clear realization that either Reid has no confidence in Vick or himself.

This isn't to get Vick off the dunk tank seat. He's very much in line as his lack of decision making ability quickly enabled defenses to expose weaknesses and make life in the pocket for Vick hell. Vick hardly, if ever, audibles at the line to change protections or make decisions based upon what he sees from other teams. Sure, he'll kill a play or make a quick change from time to time, but when it comes to recognizing what the other team intends to do and fully controlling the situation like the Manning brothers or Tom Brady it's clear he is incapable. If another team wanted to constantly blitz their safeties, you don't think that Eli Manning would make them pay?

Vick's increased difficulties are largely on his shoulders. His accuracy has completely dropped off from two years ago, and along with Reid, he should be no longer a member of the Eagles come 72 hours after the final whistle at the Super Bowl where a $15 million roster bonus would kick in.

Reid took this team as far as he could, but it wasn't good enough. The Eagles are still one of the younger teams in football, so a new coach has a lot to work with. They can build around LeSean McCoy and Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie, but with a new regime primed to take the stage and no reliable starting QB, it may be a long time coming before the Eagles will again be a threat in the NFC East. (My head coach pick: Jon Gruden)

A couple other declarations:

Andrew Luck and RGIII are as good as advertised - baseball has Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, football has these guys. Worth noting that while RGIII has garnered more headlines, Luck leads RGIII in many of Football Outsider's DVOA ranks.

The Buc$ aren't half bad - aside from the force that Doug Martin has become and a much improved defense under first year head coach Greg Schiano, the Bucs have been my favorite team to bet on all year. They are constantly underrated by Vegas, and have the ability to keep in close games whether it's a defensive battle or a high scoring affair.

Something is happening with Calvin Johnson - somehow people have figured out a way to stop him from destroying everything in his path. Getting at Matthew Stafford helps, but the fact that Johnson has 1 TD to date in spite of increased targets is an anomaly.

How important is a head coach? - The Saints must be saying a lot. While they've always been a suspect defensive team, without Sean Payton, they've become simply a vehicle for Drew Brees to put up stats.

Alfred Morris is starting and good - easily my biggest missed call thus far has been Morris. He's managed to not only start regularly under Mike Shanahan, but perform well enough to earn Terrell Davis comparisons. I even just traded Brady for him in my one fantasy league (RGIII is my starter).

Don't sleep on AJ Green - he's starting to earn more well deserved attention. Fellow draft mate Julio Jones is getting a lot of hype and we all know what Calvin Johnson has failed to live up to. Green is quickly vaulting into the upper echelon of wideouts. Also, Larry Fitzgerald who is long forgotten in Arizona will be opting out of his mega contract. He's too good to waste away there.

Time to declare some money makers in Week 9.

It was hard not to notice Jonathan Dwyer on Sunday for a lot of reasons. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Cecil Shorts, WR - JAX (11%) DET

It's time to open up my favorite file. The Alshon Jeffrey/Josh Gordon "Someone has to Catch Passes" file. With Blaine Gabbert dinged up and no Maurice Jones-Drew someone had to enjoy themselves against the Packers miserable pass defense Shorts was able to continue a solid season hauling in his 3rd TD pass of the season.

Danny Woodhead, RB - NE (38%) BYE

Especially in a PPR league, Woodhead appears to be the kind of dual threat back that can be helpful, you know, when he's not on a bye week. There's plenty of balls to go around in the Pats offense, it's always a question of which 2nd level offensive player for the Pats will be graced with a solid game.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB - PIT (46%) WAS

There are plenty of unhealthy options in Pittsburgh at running back. While Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman got their first couple of shots at the starting job, injuries have cleared a path for Dwyer. When Mendenhall is healthy you can expect him to get a shot at earning his job back, but with injuries mounting in Pittsburgh like they usually do, Dwyer has an opportunity to be a factor in the backfield.  

PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

Beanie Wells, RB - ARZ (11%) @GB

He's coming back from injury again. Feel free to waste money on him.

THE 1%

Ryan Broyles, WR - DET (7%) @JAX

Typically I like to try to get this done prior to 12 on Tuesdays because around then is when ESPN's Chris Harris drops his pick up list. Now, obviously, we're not in competition, but personally, I like to see who he picks and who I pick in a given week. A bit of a compare and contrast. Well due to the hurricane I got a bit delayed today, so I read Harris' article and his write up on Broyles is better than I could ever do.