Fantasy Football Matchups
In our weekly Fantasy Football Matchups series, Dan Croop will analyze all of the NFL games on the slate that week and rate the fantasy players in each matchup. Look for this series Friday of every week, with the Thursday night game getting its own analysis every Wednesday.
Cleveland at Baltimore
Browns: It’s one extreme or the other with this offense. As per usual, Trent Richardson is the only recommended play this week, with limited expectations due to the poor matchup and the Browns’ inability to assemble any sort of passing game. This matchup has 18 carries for 40 yards written all over it for Richardson, so you have to basically be hoping for a goal-line opportunity. You start him based on that and the fact that he’s the most talented player in this offense, rendering him more touches than many other running backs in the NFL. But you also worry because New England’s running backs only gained 77 yards on 34 carries against Baltimore’s run defense last week.
Brandon Weeden *
Trent Richardson ***
Greg Little *
Mohamed Massaquoi *
Benjamin Watson *
Phil Dawson **
Cleveland DEF *
Ravens: I’ve said it in prior columns, and I think it just needs to keep being restated. This Ravens offense is opening up their game just as John Harbaugh said they would. Joe Flacco has emerged as a low-end starting option, even in ten team leagues. Torrey Smith finally had his first big game of the season, despite the terrible circumstances he had to deal with. He’s a number two receiving option in every league. Even rookie tight end Dennis Pitta is a becoming a top ten option. And obviously, Ray Rice is one of the best running back options in the NFL. He should have a field day against a defense that gave up 138 yards on the ground to Buffalo’s run attack, mostly led by Tashard Choice.
Joe Flacco ****
Ray Rice *****
Torrey Smith ****
Anquan Boldin **
Dennis Pitta ****
Justin Tucker ***
Baltimore DEF *****
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