Fantasy Football Matchups

Fantasy Football Matchups - Week 8

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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.

 

Byes: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Houston

 

Tampa Bay at Minnesota

 

Bucs: Josh Freeman sighting, again! After a 328 yard, three touchdown performance in week six, Freeman came back in week seven with 420 yards and three touchdowns. For the record, I don't buy it, even if he does it again against Minnesota. Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson are both guys you're obviously starting after their performances last week. While it was nice to see something out of Dallas Clark, finally, I wouldn't trust him quite yet. He's only a viable starting option this week if you're desperate for a bye week fill-in.

 

Josh Freeman **

Doug Martin ****

Vincent Jackson ****

Mike Williams **

Dallas Clark **

Connor Barth ***

Tampa Bay DEF ***

 

Vikings: Ouch. Aside from the studs (Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin), this was a miserable week for Vikings fantasy owners. After looking so promising lately, Christian Ponder has dropped himself out of any possibility of being a replacement option unless you're in a deeper league. Peterson and Harvin are going to be starts for everyone. Kyle Rudolph didn't even have a catch last week. Uhh, bro? Welcome to my bench for the indefinitely future.

 

Christian Ponder **

Adrian Peterson *****

Percy Harvin *****

Jerome Simpson *

Kyle Rudolph **

Blair Walsh ****

Minnesota DEF ***

 

 

 

Panthers: Quick, guess which team has the NFL’s best rushing defense! San Diego?!? Okay, that’s surprising, but that has nothing to do with this matchup. Quick, guess which team has the NFL’s second best rushing defense! Daaaa Bears. Get it now? Carolina’s only real shot will be to air it out in this one, aside from the occasional Cam Newton scramble. Jonathan Stewart might get 10 carries like last week, but I’d only take the chance if you’re absolutely desperate. Steve Smith is a must-start for me this week, and Brandon LaFell is a low-end number three receiver for me. Greg Olsen makes a pretty decent fill-in if you need him. I have him as a low-end number one tight end.

 

Cam Newton ****

Jonathan Stewart **

Steve Smith ****

Brandon LaFell **

Greg Olsen ****

Justin Medlock **

Carolina DEF **

 

Bears: This is definitely the Matt Forte show again. After getting 22 carries for the second straight week, and Jay Cutler struggling against a weak Detroit defense, there is no doubt Forte is the leader of this offense. That shouldn’t change this week with a matchup against Carolina’s 19^th ranked run defense. While Cutler gets bumped down to a high-end backup, Brandon Marshall is still a must-start. He’s too dominant a receiver to sit regardless of a matchup or his quarterback’s struggles. No one else in this offense is fantasy relevant.

 

Jay Cutler ***

Matt Forte *****

Brandon Marshall *****

Devin Hester *

Kellen Davis *

Robbie Gould ***

Chicago DEF ****

 

 

 

Chargers: Coming off of a bye week, the Chargers should be ready to roll against a Cleveland defense that ranks in the mid-20s in both the passing and running games. Despite his troubles and choke job in week six against Denver, I still have Philip Rivers as a low-end number one option this week. Ryan Mathews is getting enough work to be considered a must-start, unless his fumbling issues pop up again. Malcom Floyd remains a number three receiver option as the second target on this team behind Antonio Gates, who is a must-start. I actually like San Diego’s defense more than most this week because they’re so strong against the run, and the run is the best weapon in Cleveland’s offense.

 

Philip Rivers ****

Ryan Mathews ****

Malcom Floyd ***

Robert Meachem **

Antonio Gates *****

Nick Novak ***

San Diego DEF ***

 

Browns: Man, this kills me. I do think Trent Richardson plays, and I’d probably start him because he’s going to get enough chances to be effective. But, by the same token, facing the league’s best run defense is daunting. I’ll put him as a high-end flex option, so you’re most likely starting him. Now that that’s out of the way, I don’t want to start anyone else in this offense. Brandon Weeden has been showing some promise lately, but I still don’t feel comfortable even starting him as a backup. That also puts his receiving options as backups, at best, for me.

 

Brandon Weeden **

Trent Richardson ****

Josh Gordon *

Greg Little *

Benjamin Watson *

Phil Dawson **

Cleveland DEF *

 

 

 

Seahawks: It’s Jekyll and Hyde for Russell Wilson, but I guess he gets a pass because he faced the best pass defense in the NFL last week. Regardless, I don’t like him this week against the same Detroit secondary that shut down Cutler on Monday night. As a matter of fact, the only player on this offense that I do like is Marshawn Lynch, who should have a very big game against Detroit’s poor run defense. And if Seattle’s defense can play anywhere near as well as Chicago’s did against Detroit on Monday night (hint: they can), then they’re one of this week’s best options.

 

Russell Wilson *

Marshawn Lynch *****

Sidney Rice *

Golden Tate *

Zach Miller *

Steven Hauschka **

Seattle DEF *****

 

Lions: What. Is. Going. On? I mean, this offense is just too talented to be playing the way they have been. Is it Matthew Stafford? I don’t get it. Against one of the best defenses in the league, I’m sitting Stafford if I have a capable backup. I’d even think about it against an average defense, too. Mikel LeShoure is still a low-end number two option for me because he’s involved in the passing game, and Stafford has been checking down a lot. Just don’t expect high rushing totals. Megatron will always be a must-start. I think Titus Young and Brandon Pettigrew are okay options. Both get a boost with Nate Burleson out for the year, but Stafford’s lack of production still scares me to where I can’t have either of them too high. I’ll have Young as a number three receiver and Pettigrew as a low-end number one tight end.

 

Matthew Stafford ***

Mikel LeShoure ****

Calvin Johnson *****

Titus Young ***

Brandon Pettigrew ****

Jason Hanson ***

Detroit DEF *

 

 

 

Jaguars: Uh oh. With Maurice Jones-Drew being out at least a couple weeks, Rashad Jennings gets a boost in value. He got 21 carries on Sunday, but only gained 44 yards on them. However, he was a big part of the passing game and found the end zone, so I have him as a low-end number two this week. Unfortunately for Jaguars owners, he’s the only player I’d consider starting. I could understand desperate owners plugging in Cecil Shorts after his big game last week, but considering what he had done (or hadn’t done) before that, I wouldn’t want to be in that position.

 

Blaine Gabbert *

Rashad Jennings ***

Justin Blackmon **

Cecil Shorts **

Marcedes Lewis *

Josh Scobee **

Jacksonville DEF *

 

Packers: It’s good to see Aaron Rodgers has found his groove. After a slow start (by his standards) to the season, Rodgers has settled into his usual role of being one of the top quarterbacks in the game.               This means great things for all three of his healthy receivers: Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb. I have all three somewhere between low-end number one and high-end number two receivers. They’ve proven they can all be valuable in the same game. Alex Green got a heavy workload last week, but he couldn’t do anything with it. He should have better luck this week against the 29^th ranked run defense in the NFL. In a game last week where nearly every receiving option was productive, Jermichael Finley was not. He’s an average backup to me at this point.

 

Aaron Rodgers *****

Alex Green ***

Jordy Nelson ****

James Jones ****

Randall Cobb ****

Jermichael Finley **

Mason Crosby ***

Green Bay DEF ***

 

 

 

Colts: It’s tough to imagine the Colts don’t keep the ball rolling this week considering how poor the Titans’ defense is. Andrew Luck is a high-end number two for me, even though he’s coming off back-to-back below average performances.  Vick Ballard showed he’s capable of handling a heavy workload while gaining over 100 total yards last week. He’s a good flex option. Reggie Wayne remains the number one receiving option in this offense and is a low-end number one receiver this week. I don’t trust any of the other options enough to warrant starts this week, even with a good matchup.

 

Andrew Luck ***

Vick Ballard ***

Reggie Wayne ****

Donnie Avery **

Coby Fleener **

Adam Vinatieri ****

Indianapolis DEF **

 

Titans: With the Colts having the seventh best pass defense, it can only be expected that Chris Johnson will keep up his recent return to prominence. It’s nice to see Johnson running well again, but temper your expectations a bit. It was just three weeks ago that he had 15 carries for 24 yards against Minnesota. This receiving corps has to be one of the most frustrating of all in the NFL. I feel like Nate Washington, Kenny Britt and Kendall Wright take turns each week with which one is the best option. I don’t trust any of them enough as a starter, and the same thought process goes for Jared Cook.

 

Matt Hasselbeck *

Chris Johnson ****

Kenny Britt **

Nate Washington **

Kendall Wright **

Jared Cook **

Rob Bironas ***

Tennessee DEF *

 

 

 

Patriots: The Rams may have an above average defense, but don’t worry. These are still the New England Patriots. I almost feel this goes without saying at this point, but here goes nothing. You must start: Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. I know Lloyd barely did anything last week, but he still was targeted eight times. His involvement and potential from game-to-game are too high to keep on any bench. Stevan Ridley hasn’t had the best past two games, but he’s still the lead back in a high-powered offense. He’s a high-end flex option.

 

Tom Brady *****

Stevan Ridley ***

Wes Welker ****

Brandon Lloyd ****

Rob Gronkowski *****

Aaron Hernandez ****

Stephen Gostkowski ****

New England DEF **

 

Rams: Believe it or not, New England’s run defense is pretty darn good (eighth). That can only spell bad news for the Rams, who rely so much on their running game. Steven Jackson is a decent flex option, but I’d keep Daryl Richardson on my bench until a better matchup comes along. Assuming the Rams are forced to pass early and often, I expect someone to hit a home run from this receiving corps. I’d guess on Chris Givens, whose big-play potential has become evident in recent weeks, but it’s not something I’d be willing to bet on.

 

Sam Bradford **

Steven Jackson ***

Daryl Richardson **

Brandon Gibson **

Chris Givens **

Lance Kendricks *

Greg Zuerlein ****

St. Louis DEF **

 

 

 

Dolphins: Miami has the benefit of coming off of a bye to get their more cohesive. You obviously want no part of the passing game aside from Reggie Bush, who gets targeted as much as any of the receiver. Especially in a PPR league, you have to start Bush. But even in standard scoring leagues, I like him as a number one back against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league in the Jets. The only other player worth mentioning is Brian Hartline due to his earlier season success, but given how much he was shut down by Cortland Finnegan two weeks ago, I’d take more of a wait-and-see approach.

 

Ryan Tannehill *

Reggie Bush ****

Brian Hartline **

Davone Bess *

Anthony Fasano *

Dan Carpenter ***

Miami DEF ***

 

Jets: If Rex Ryan thought Mark Sanchez was “outstanding” in week seven, you’re certain to be seeing a lot of him in week eight. Miami’s fourth ranked rushing defense should force the Jets to move the ball through the air, which bodes well for Jeremy Kerley and Dustin Keller the most. I like Kerley as a number three receiver, while Keller is a decent backup this week. Shonn Greene continues to get the bulk of the work at running back, making him a decent flex option.

 

Mark Sanchez **

Shonn Greene ***

Bilal Powell *

Jeremy Kerley ***

Stephen Hill *

Dustin Keller ***

Nick Folk **

New York DEF ***

 

 

 

Falcons: The Atlanta offense was atrocious in week six, so they really needed their bye in week seven to get back on track. The Eagles are just about the perfect defense to test the offense against since they’re almost exactly middle of the road in both pass and run defenses. Every offensive player listed is a must-start besides Michael Turner, who remains just a flex option solely due to being the primary ballcarrier on this team. Until they stop giving him the ball, he should still get enough touches to be effective.

 

Matt Ryan *****

Michael Turner ***

Roddy White *****

Julio Jones ****

Tony Gonzalez *****

Matt Bryant ****

Atlanta DEF **

 

Eagles: If they’re smart, the Eagles will keep the ball on the ground for the most part on Sunday. Atlanta’s pass defense is decent, while their run defense is terrible. LeSean McCoy is due for a big game this week and is my number one back overall this week. Michael Vick is a low-end number one option, so you’re probably starting him. Both wide receivers are about even to me and come in as low-end number two receivers. Brent Celek is an average backup, so start someone else if at all possible.

 

Michael Vick ****

LeSean McCoy *****

DeSean Jackson ***

Jeremy Maclin ***

Brent Celek ***

Alex Henery ****

Philadelphia DEF *

 

 

 

Redskins: After a heartbreaker against the Giants, the Redskins have to look to a tough matchup against one of the best defenses in the NFL. But even with that in mind, I’ve learned my lesson about doubting Robert Griffin III. Never again. This man is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL already, and he should be treated as such. Must-start status for RG3. Alfred Morris is a high-end number two simply due to the matchup, but I believe he’s the real deal, as well. The Redskins’ lack of any standout receiver has me wary of starting any of their options. If I had to, I’d start Santana Moss for his track record, but he’s only a high-end number four option for me.

 

Robert Griffin III *****

Alfred Morris ****

Santana Moss **

Leonard Hankerson **

Chris Cooley **

Kai Forbath ***

Washington DEF *

 

Steelers: He’ll get most of the work, but Jonathan Dwyer faces a tough matchup on the ground. I can’t rank him any higher than a flex this week. Also, I expect this to be a major passing game for the Steelers against Washington’s pass defense that ranks dead last in the NFL. Ben Roethlisberger is a mid-range number one quarterback for me this week, while Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown are both high-end number two receivers. Even Heath Miller is a low-end number one tight end this week. I’m all about the Steelers’ passing game this week.

 

Ben Roethlisberger ****

Jonathan Dwyer ***

Mike Wallace ****

Antonio Brown ****

Heath Miller ****

Shaun Suisham ****

Pittsburgh DEF ***

 

 

 

Raiders: Given that the Chiefs’ passing defense is better than their rushing defense, one can only assume that the Raiders will focus on getting Darren McFadden going as soon as possible. He’s a low-end number one back for me this week. I don’t trust Carson Palmer as a backup, nor do I trust any of the receiving options enough to insert them into my starting lineup. I’d hold off for the time being until they can all start developing some consistency.

 

Carson Palmer **

Darren McFadden ****

Darrius Heyward-Bey **

Denarius Moore *

Brandon Myers **

Sebastian Janikowski ***

Oakland DEF **

 

Chiefs: The Brady Quinn era! …..worries me. He’s obviously not even on the radar as a backup, and he’s bringing down the value of Dwayne Bowe, who was the only Chiefs receiver with any value until Quinn took over. Until Quinn gets his act together (if he ever does), I can’t like Bowe any more than a low-end number two receiver. But it’s not all bad for Chiefs owners. Jamaal Charles is still a must-start option as a low-end number one running back.

 

Brady Quinn *

Jamaal Charles ****

Shaun Draughn *

Dwayne Bowe ***

Jon Baldwin *

Tony Moeaki **

Ryan Succop **

Kansas City DEF **

 

 

 

Giants: It’s pretty evident that, while Tom Coughlin may prefer differently, the Giants are a pass-first team. They may not be this week against the third best passing defense in the NFL. Because Eli Manning was not at his best last week, despite his late game heroics, and because of the matchup, I have Manning as a low-end number one quarterback this week. Ahmad Bradshaw gets bumped up to a number two running back because of the matchup, while Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are standard low-end number one receivers. Martellus Bennett was a big part of the offense last week, so he gets a little bump to a high-end backup this week.

 

Eli Manning ****

Ahmad Bradshaw ****

Victor Cruz ****

Hakeem Nicks ****

Martellus Bennett ***

Lawrence Tynes ***

New York DEF ***

 

Cowboys: The Giants defense is a little bit of a mirage. Yes, the pass rush is great, but nothing else is. Tony Romo should be able to move the ball with ease, making him a high-end number two quarterback this week, but the receivers are so inconsistent that it’s hard to single one out as better than the other. Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are both low-end number two receivers, but Jason Witten is a must-start tight end. I have him in my top five tight end options now that he’s playing like his old self.

 

Tony Romo ****

Felix Jones **

Philip Tanner **

Dez Bryant ***

Miles Austin ***

Jason Witten *****

Dan Bailey ***

Dallas DEF **

 

 

 

Saints: After starting off 0-4, the Saints have battled back with two straight wins. They’ll have a tough time this week against a talented Denver team, led by their 10^th ranked pass defense (who’s Peyton?). But in all honesty, what pass defense is going to stop Drew Brees? Jimmy Graham has returned to practice, and I expect him to play. If he does, he obviously has to be in all lineups. Marques Colston and Lance Moore are both must-starts as of late. The running game, on the other hand, remains dicey. The only option I’d have in my lineup is Darren Sproles because of his involvement in the passing game and big play ability.

 

Drew Brees *****

Darren Sproles ***

Pierre Thomas **

Mark Ingram *

Marques Colston ****

Lance Moore ***

Jimmy Graham *****

Garrett Hartley ****

New Orleans DEF *

 

Broncos: Talk about your easy matchup. The Broncos come back from a bye to face one of the worst defenses in the NFL in both the passing and running games. Start ‘em all! Seriously, the only offensive player I wouldn’t definitely start is Jacob Tamme, and that’s only if it’s because I’m loaded at tight end. He should have a great game, as well.

 

Peyton Manning *****

Willis McGahee ****

Demaryius Thomas ****

Eric Decker ****

Jacob Tamme ****

Matt Prater ***

Denver DEF **

 

 

 

Niners: You have to expect this to be a low-scoring affair, but there’s a bit of a loophole. For as strong as Arizona’s defense is, did you know their rushing defense is only ranked 20^th? That can only mean a heavy dose of Frank Gore is in store (and yes, I’m a poet, and I didn’t even know it). None of the receivers is trustworthy enough to start. Vernon Davis, one of the most talented options in the NFL, isn’t even a must-start after doing absolutely nothing last week. I don’t know. The only player I can bring myself to recommend in this offense is Gore, but you’re probably going to start Davis, too. I would, but I wouldn’t like it one bit.

 

Alex Smith **

Frank Gore ****

Michael Crabtree **

Randy Moss *

Mario Manningham *

Vernon Davis ****

David Akers ***

San Francisco DEF *****

 

Cardinals: Yes, the Niners’ defense is daunting. But a surprise stat that I noticed was that while their pass defense is the best in the league, their run defense is 10^th. Not that 10^th is bad, but it is vulnerable. That makes LaRod Stephens-Howling a decent flex option to me. Larry Fitzgerald is still a must-start, and Andre Roberts is a number three wideout this week. John Skelton….. well, you know the drill. If he’s on your roster, you made a mistake.

 

John Skelton *

LaRod Stephens-Howling ***

Larry Fitzgerald ****

Andre Roberts ***

Todd Heap *

Jay Feely **

Arizona DEF *****

 

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