Sunday Six Pack: Week 11

Jarrett Behar

sixpack

  1. Have Romo Will Travel

 

If you need TDs, oh baby I travel. Dallas’ long fantasy oblivion nightmare is now over with the return of QB Tony Romo from a broken clavicle suffered Week 2 against the Eagles. After that game, TE Jason Witten was the PPR TE3 with an average of 19.3 FPs per game. Since then, Witten is just the PPR TE17 in average FPs per game with 9.56. Witten and his owners are certain glad to see Romo back under center. The same goes for stud WR Dez Bryant who is the just the PPR WR30 in average FPs per game in the three games that he’s been back. Will the focus back on stopping Dallas’ passing game, there will be room for improvement for Darren McFadden to rise from the PPR RB15 in average FPs per game that he’s been with Cassel under center. This week’s opponent, the Dolphins is ranked just 20th in passing defense and 31st in rushing defense based on average yards given up per game. All of the Cowboys suddenly seem like great starts with Romo back. Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry is on pace to catch 107 passes for 1,044 yards and 5 TDs. He has emerged as a rock steady high-end PPR WR2 with WR1 upside on a weekly basis.

  1. Howling for Yates

I can’t explain any of these thoughts running through my brain. Present and former Texans backup QB TJ Yates completed five of eleven passes for 69 yards and one TD in last week’s upset of the previously undefeated Bengals. It appears as if Brian Hoyer will miss this week with the concussion that he suffered in that game, and Yates will be under center in a difficult matchup against Darrelle Revis and company (ranked ninth in the league in average passing yards per game given up). On top of that, star WR DeAndre Hopkins missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury. It goes without saying that if Hopkins misses this game, the Jets become the absolute number one D/ST play of the week. If he does play, perhaps you downgrade Hopkins a little bit based on the injury, but he’s basically been matchup proof, so you can’t bench him because of Revis by any stretch of the imagination. For the Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick looks good to go after his finger surgery, which is good news for Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Marshall is currently the PPR WR11 in average FPs per game with 18.7 and Decker is the PPR WR13 with 17.5. Both of those guys are easy starts even against a Texans passing defense that is ranked fifth in the league and only giving up 222.3 passing yards per game.

  1. Sanchez on Your Mind

You can’t make it without ever tryin, tryin, tryin. Another backup QB will make a Week 11 start, where male model-turned NFL QB Mark Sanchez will take over for the banged up, over-sized jersey-wearing Sam Bradford. In nine appearances for the Iggles last year, the Sanchize had a 64.1 completion percentage and averaged 7.83 yards per attempt while throwing 14 TDs and 11 INTs. That yards per attempt was a over a yard per attempt higher than his previous career average in five years with the Jets. He gets a tough test in the Buccaneers’ tenth ranked passing defense that is giving up an average of 233.2 yards per game through the air. Jordan Matthews, looking to rebound from a three reception, twenty-yard game against the Dolphins last week, may also be in for rough sledding. DeMarco Murray, on the other hand, who may have the backfield largely to himself due to Ryan Mathews’ concussion, should get a nice workload and is a top option this week. Despite cooling off as of late, Doug Martin is still the PPR RB16 in average FPs per game. The Eagles are ranked just 19th against the run, giving up an average of 111.3 yards per game. Martin is a solid PPR RB2. Mike Evans has 53 targets in his last four games. As a result, he is the PPR WR6 in average FPs per game in that stretch. It doesn’t matter that he’s only catching about half of them. Start him. Do it.

  1. Hold Keenum in Your Arms

His touch keeps you hanging on. New Rams QB Case Keenum has started 10 games over the past two seasons, completing just 55.2 percent of his passes for 6.65 yards per attempt and throwing 11 TDs and eight INTs. Basically, the best thing that he’s got going for him is that he’s not Nick Foles. I honestly don’t think that this changes the value of the Rams’ pass catchers at all. Tavon Austin is still a low end WR3 (the PPR WR31 in average FPs per game with 13.2) and everyone else should be on your bench. Todd Gurley – the PPR RB4 in average FPs per game with 18.6 – will continue to be the focal point of the offense. Perhaps Keenum can emerge from his cocoon of obscurity as a viable NFL QB, but the odds are starkly [inlinead]against it, even against a Ravens defense that is ranked 26th in the NFL against the pass and gives up an average of 271.0 passing yards per game. Ravens RB Justin Forsett hasn’t been great, but he’s still the PPR RB18 in average FPs per game with 13.3, which puts him squarely in mid-level RB2 territory, perhaps just a shade lower than projected. After an eight target game in week six, Forsett has averaged just three targets per game since then, which is surprising given the Ravens lack of depth at WR. If you are relying on Forsett to start for you, it might be a good idea to see if you can acquire Buck Allen, who could end up seeing more work and would be the starter if Forsett missed time. The Rams are actually ranked 17th against the run, giving up an average of 109.4 yards per game, and were gashed by Jeremy Langford in the passing game last week, so maybe Forsett has chance to improve this week.

  1. Brock Osweiler: The Baddest Man Alive

He snatches food from the mouth of a tiger. After Broncos QB Peyton Manning was pulled from last week’s abysmal game last week (he only completed one more pass to Broncos than he did to Chiefs), and has now been ruled out for Week 11 with a good injury, the Broncos will turn to QB-in-waiting Brock Osweiler. Osweiler was actually a second round pick in the 2012 draft and over the years has received some positive reports about his development. Finally getting to make his first start, he will likely be asked to be a game manager, willing the Broncos offense to do just enough while the defense, which will have Aqib Talib back from his one week suspension, attempts to keep the revitalized Bears offense in check. Since he returned from his one game injury absence in Week 4, Bears QB Jay Cutler is the QB11 in average FPs per game. He’s got a tough matchup in a Broncos passing defense that is ranked first in the league in passing defense and only giving up an average of 182.8 yards per game. RB Jeremy Langford has done a lot of his damage in the passing game averaging 5.5 receptions for 89.5 yards and .5 TDs in the last two games including a big game against the Rams last week. This matchup will be a good litmus test for Langford’s long term value.

  1. Run Right Hasselback

 

Never step aside. Never run and hide. Colts QB Matt Hasselbeck is 2-0 as a starter this year completing 63.1% of his passes and averaging 247.5 passing yards 1.5 TDs and 0 INTs. This week he’ll be asked to take on the Falcons and their 19th-ranked passing defense that is giving up an average 253.4 yards per game. It shouldn’t be that much of a downgrade for TY Hilton who is currently the PPR WR24 in average FPs per game. He’s right around that low-end WR2/high end WR3 territory. After a hot start, Donte Moncrief has fallen to the PPR WR34 in average FPs per game. He’s a low end WR3/Flex at this point. On the other hand, the Colts passing defense is ranked 28th against the pass, giving up an average of 279.3 yards per game. It should be a good day for Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. It also marks a welcome return from bye for the PPR RB1 by a mile Devonta Freeman. Freeman is still over 50 PPR points ahead of his closest competition.

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