Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans
Top performers:
» Blake Bortles, QB: 322 passign yards, 5 TDs, 32.78 fantasy points
» T.J. Yeldon, RB: 19 touches, 136 total yards, TD, 19.60 fantasy points
» Allen Robinson, WR: 10 rec, 153 yards, 3 TDs, 33.30 fantasy points
» Julius Thomas, TE: 2 rec, 15 yards, TD, 7.50 fantasy points
» Marcus Mariota, QB: 380 total yards, 4 total TDs, INT, 35.92 fantasy points
» Antonio Andrews, RB: 14 touches, 68 total yards, TD, 12.80 fantasy points
» Dorial Green-Beckham, WR: 5 rec, 119 yards, TD, 17.90 fantasy points
» Delanie Walker, TE: 8 rec, 92 yards, TD, 15.20 fantasy points
Happy Allen Robinson day. With Allen Hurns out for this game, Robinson paced the team with 15 targets, which led the team by 10. He eviscerated this secondary on 10 catches, making a number of eye-popping plays and scoring three thrice. If you want to call him a top-five wide receiver right now, your opposition would have a tough time arguing with you. It was good to see T.J. Yeldon pop in a red zone touchdown. Other than scoring chances, he's been a pristine player this season. He looked like an All-Pro with his nuanced running today, and will be one of the most popular breakout picks at running back next year.
Marcus Mariota was nearly flawless in this spot, with his interception coming off the hands of his own player. He ran 87 yards for his ground score, and had a season-high nine carries. He paid off massive dividends for those who streamed him. The two interesting developments from this game were Dorial Green-Beckham leading the team in receiving and David Cobb taking 13 carries, the same as Antonio Andrews. This kind of offensive point explosion often leads to misnomers for future projections, so hold off on seeing this as a change for the rest of the season. But do pay attention to these two potential 2016 sleepers.
Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings
Top performers:
» Russell Wilson, QB: 274 pass yards, 3 pass TD, 51 rush yards, rush TD, 34.06 fantasy points
» Thomas Rawls, RB: 101 rush yards, TD, 22 rec yards, fumble lost, 16.30 fantasy points
» Doug Baldwin, WR: 94 rec yards, 2 TD, 21.40 fantasy points
» Tyler Lockett, WR: 90 rec yards, 7 rush yards, 9.70 fantasy points
» Fred Jackson, RB: 5 rush yards, 13 rec yards, rec TD, 7.80 fantasy points
» Teddy Bridgewater, QB: 118 pass yards, 2 rush yards, INT, 2.92 fantasy points
» Adrian Peterson, RB: 18 rush yards, 6 rec yards, 2.40 fantasy points
» Mike Wallace, WR: 43 yards, 4.30 fantasy points
For the second straight game, Russell Wilson put up over 30 fantasy points. He's been on absolute fire and has collected 12 total touchdowns in his last three games. He's got some juicy matchups in the fantasy playoffs coming up with games against Baltimore and Cleveland in the next two weeks, so he should continue to produce. Doug Baldwin was the main beneficiary of Wilson's solid day has he caught two touchdown receptions and racked up 94 yards. It was Baldwin's third game in the last month with 19 or more fantasy points. He's piled up six touchdown catches in that span too. And Thomas Rawls continues to come through in Marshawn Lynch's stead. He finished the game with over 120 total yards and scored for the third straight game.
On the Vikings' side of the ball, it was a depressing day. Teddy Bridgewater totaled just 118 passing yards and Adrian Peterson had just 18 rush yards against Seattle. The Seahawks defense is good, but usually the unit doesn't play as well at home, so we didn't expect this kind of shut down performance. The only Vikings score came on a Cordarrelle Patterson kick-return.
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
Top performers:
» Andy Dalton, QB: 220 pass yards, 2 pass TDs, 11 rush yards, rush TD, 23.90 fantasy points
» A.J. Green, WR: 128 rec yards, TD, 18.80 fnatasy points
» Jeremy Hill, RB: 98 rush yards, TD, 15.80 fantasy points
» Marvin Jones, WR: 55 rec yards, TD, 11.50 fantasy points
» Austin Davis, QB: 230 pass yards, 4 rush yards, INT, fumble lost, 5.60 fantasy points
» Gary Barnidge, TE: 59 rec yards, 5.90 fantasy points
» Brian Hartline, WR: 83 rec yards, 8.30 fantasy points
The Andy Dalton to A.J. Green connection was online Sunday as the duo hooked up five times for 128 yards and a touchdown. With Tyler Eifert sidelined, Dalton and the Bengals had to find other ways to get the job done inside the red zone, and they clearly had no problems doing so. Jeremy Hill had a nice game with 22 carries for 98 yards and punched in a one-yard score, and even Marvin Jones got into the end zone against the Browns. Giovani Bernard's down day was a result of game script as he saw just five carries for 26 yards and caught just one pass for nine yards.
There's next to nothign to say about the Browns. Travis Benjamin left the game with an injury as as a result, left fanatsy owners with and ugly zero. Brian Harline led the team in receiving with eight catches for 83 yards. Isaiah Crowell had his best day in weeks with 11 carries for 62 yards, but he's still not fantasy relevant. Gary Barnidge did see eight targets which was second-most on the team, so if there's anything positive here at least we know Austin Davis will be looking his way frequently going forward.
San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears
Top performers:
» Blaine Gabbert, QB: 196 pass yards, TD, 75 rush yards, TD, 25.34 fantasy points
» Shaun Draughn, WR: 86 yards, TD, 14.60 fantasy points
» 49ers D/ST: Sack, INT, TD, 10.00 fantay points
» Matt Forte, RB: 123 yards, TD, 18.30 fantasy points
» Alshon Jeffery: 85 yards, 8.50 fantasy points
» Kadeem Carey, RB: 17 yards, TD, 7.70 fantasy points
» Jay Cutler, QB: 202 pass yards, INT, 10 rush yards, 7.08 fantasy points
Once again the Niners defense was pretty productive with Blaine Gabbert running the show. San Francisco's quarterback had his best fantasy performance of the season thanks to a pair of long plays -- a 44-yard touchdown run and a game-winning 71-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. His 196 passing yards re-affirm that there aren't any Niners pass-catchers you can start with any confidence. However Shaun Draughn continued to prove that he's worth at least a flex play in most leagues. There is some glimmer of fantasy hope in San Francisco.
The Niners defense had been pretty bad on the road all season, but they figured out a way to shut down Jay Cutler. The Bears quarterback posted his third consecutive poor stat line in Week 13. The good news is that Alshon Jeffery had a solid 85 receiving yards, though a touchdown would have been nice. Matt Forte had the bulk of the carries and a nice fantasy day but Jeremy Langford did have a nice day with 68 total yards. One thing to note is the number of carries Ka'Deem Carey saw late in the ballgame. The last thing any fantasy owner needs is another mouth to feed in the backfield.
New York Jets at New York Giants
Top performers:
» Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB: 390 pass yards, 2 TD, 22 rush yards, 25.80 fantasy points
» Brandon Marshall, WR: 131 yards, TD, 19.10 fantasy points
» Bilal Powell, RB: 108 yards, TD, 16.80 fantasy points
» Odell Beckham Jr, WR: 149 yards, TD, 20.90 fantasy points
» Eli Manning, QB: 297 pass yards, TD, INT, 2 rush yards, 14.08 fantay points
» Giants D/ST: 3 sacks, fumble recovery, TD, 11.00 fantasy points
Today was all about Ryan Fitzpatrick. The shaven and shorn Amish Rifle threw the ball 50 times for 390 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Both of his main receivers -- Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker -- were heavily involved, combining for 20 catches, 232 yards and a score. It wasn't nearly as productive a day for the running game. Chris Ivory started the day strong but eventually gave way to Bilal Powell who racked up more than 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
When we learned that Darrelle Revis would be out, the expectations went through the roof for Odell Beckham. He didn't disappoint with better than 20 fantasy points. As for the rest of his offensive teammates, well ... not so much. Eli Manning was pretty underwhelming while a quartet of running backs struggled to a combined 72 rushing yards. Thank goodness for the Giants defense, which had a double-digit fantasy day.
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams
Top performers:
» Carson Palmer, QB: 356 yards, 2 TDs, 22.4 fantasy points
» David Johnson, RB: 22 rush, 99 yards, 2 rec, 21 yards, TD, 18 fantasy points
» Larry Fitzgerald, WR: 8 rec, 55 yards, 5.5 fantasy points
» John Brown, WR: 6 rec, 113 yards, 11.3 fantasy points
» Michael Floyd, WR: 7 rec, 104 yards, 10.4 fantasy points
» Todd Gurley, RB: 9 rush, 41 rec yards, 4.1 fantasy points
» Tavon Austin, WR: 14 rush yards, 24 rec yards, 3.8 fantasy points
The Rams offense is awful. There are no two ways around it. The unit is so inept that it has led to the fantasy destruction of one of the game's most electric players in Todd Gurley. The Rams cannot move the ball through the air, fall behind, and as a result Gurley's role is all but abandoned. He's managed just 7.1 fantasy points combined the last two weeks. It isn't out of the question to bench him next week against a much improved Detroit Lions run defense.
The Arizona offense is a thing of beauty, that just got even better with David Johnson as the running back. Johnson's explosiveness and power was evident against the Rams. After watching weeks of a worn down Chris Johnson getting fed carries, this was a welcome change. Johnson produced in the stat sheets and did the little things coaches love (like pick up blitzes). He'll remain a high-upside RB2 and push for RB1 status down the stretch, even if/when Andre Ellington returns. The Cardinals passing attack is just too deep to be stopped. A healthier-looking Michael Floyd joined John Brown in crossing the century mark today, while Larry Fitzgerald put up a solid PPR day with eight catches (he also became the 11th player in NFL history to have 1,000 receptions -- hats off to him). All of these players can be started from here on out regardless of the matchup. Owners will just need to know that some weeks won't go to their player, though the volume exists for all three of these stars to perform.
Houston Texans at Buffalo Bills
Top performers:
» Brian Hoyer, QB: 293 yards, 3 TDs, INT, 15 rush yards, 24.14 fantasy points
» Chris Polk, RB: 13 touches, 72 total yards, rec TD, 13.2 fantasy points
» DeAndre Hopkins, WR: 5 rec, 88 yards, TD, 14.8 fantasy points
» Cecil Shorts, WR: 6 rec, 91 yards, 9.1 fantasy points
» Ryan Griffin, TE: 3 rec, 29, TD, 8.9 fantasy points
» Tyrod Taylor, QB: 211 yards, 3 TDs, 28 rush yards, TD, 29.24 fantasy points
» LeSean McCoy, RB: 112 rush yards, 11.2 fantasy points
» Sammy Watkins, WR: 3 rec, 109 yards, TD, 10.4 fantasy points
» Charles Clay, TE: 4 rec, 66 yards, TD, 12.6 fantasy points
DeAndre Hopkins = extremely good at football. Moving on. Brian Hoyer continues to be a nice streaming target in fantasy. He'll face the banged up Patriots defense at home next week if you're into that sort of thing. Ryan Griffin might be growing into a bigger role in this offense, with touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. He'll be a streaming candidate as well. It took a few weeks, but the Texans finally stopped feeding Alfred Blue exclusively, freeing Chris Polk and Jonathan Grimes to average over 5 yards per carry each. Polk saw the most touches and caught a touchdown pass, but don't rush out and add him immediately off waivers. This has the look of a tried and true running back committee. Weekly production for all of these backs will be extremely volatile.
Forgive us, Tygod, for ever doubting you. Tyrod Taylor continued his hot streak against another great defense, scoring four touchdowns and moving the Bills offense well all day. His effort was helped by the running game, where LeSean McCoy racked up 112 hard-earned yards. With Karlos Williams still banged up, Mike Gillislee becomes the handcuff to target for Shady (who left the game to go through concussion protocol, but returned). Sammy Watkins made the most of his limited looks, bringing in three of his four targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. He's earned a spot on your roster every week now. Charles Clay also caught a touchdown, but we wouldn't count on his production again, as his volume has been too spotty to trust.
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Top performers:
» Matt Ryan, QB: 269 yards, TD, INT, 13.16 fantasy points
» Devonta Freeman, RB: 47 rush yards, 10 rec, 56 rec yards, 10.3 fantasy points
» Julio Jones, WR: 8 rec, 93 yards, 8.8 fantasy points
» Jameis Winston, QB: 227 yards, TD, INT, 15 rush yards, 18.58 fantasy points
» Doug Martin, RB: 25 rush, 95 yards, TD, 5 rec yards, 16 fantasy points
» Vincent Jackson, WR: 3 rec, 87 yards, 8.7 fantasy points
» Mike Evans, WR: 5 rec, 61 yards, TD, 12.1 fantasy points
The Falcons offense is the easiest to sort out in fantasy. Julio Jones will be fed targets (16 this week), Devonta Freeman will be fed touches (24 this week) and Matt Ryan will continue to be overrated and throw a terrible interception. The first two are weekly must-starts, but Ryan is verging on waiver wire fodder.
Doug Martin is going to earn himself a lot of money next season. His fantastic season continued with over 100 total yards and a touchdown. Jameis Winston rebounded with a nice performance as well, buoyed by a rushing touchdown. He's a safe-floor play moving forward with upside in the right matchup (he's scored 18-plus fantasy points in five of his last seven games). Mike Evans had a few drops, but also made a great touchdown catch. He'll remain a WR2 the rest of the way. Vincent Jackson had a solid day with 87 yards on five targets. The Bucs welcomed back stud tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins with six targets, but he only managed three catches for 31 yards. He'll be a name to keep an eye on off waivers this week.
Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
Top performers:
» Matt Schaub, QB: 289 passing yards, TD, 2 INT, 12.32 fantasy points
» Javorious Allen, RB: 29 touches, 170 total yards, TD, 23.0 fantasy points
» Kamar Aiken, WR: 5 rec, 43 yards, 4.80 fantasy points
» Chris Givens, WR: 3 rec, 68 yards, 6.80 fantasy points
» Ryan Tannehill, QB: 86 passing yards, TD, 8.54 fantasy points
» Lamar Miller, RB: 21 touches, 118 total yards, 9.80 fantasy points
» Jay Ajayi, RB: 4 touches, 12 rushing yards, 3.20 fantasy points
» DeVante Parker, WR: 3 rec, 63 yards, TD, 12.30 fantasy points
» Jarvis Landry, WR: 2 rec, 5 yards, 0.50 fantasy points
The Ravens offense runs through Javorious "Buck" Allen, as it should with Matt Schaub under center. The rookie running back handled 29 touches, and while he didn't come up with a strong game on the ground, he more than made up for it with his pass-catching work. Allen led the team in receptions (12) and receiving yards (107), and popped in a touchdown on a 41-yard catch and run. Kamar Aiken clocked in with 11 targets, second only to Allen, but was only able to turn that into six catches with an 8.0 yards per average. Allen and Aiken are the only two players we remain interested in on this Baltimore offense as currently constructed. Matt Schaub chipped in with his required weekly pick-six.
It seems clear that the Dolphins made the choice to fire Bill Lazor for his refusal to commit to Lamar Miller. The starting back handled 21 touches today, most of which came on the ground, while Ryan Tannehill threw just 19 times. Jay Ajayi only chipped in with four carries, as Dan Campbell clearly favors his more experienced back. This is as close to a winning formula for Miami as they can realistically have right now, and one we should expect to continue. Jarvis Landry's disaster game was quite an anomaly, and he should be fine for next week. DeVante Parker made a breathtaking touchdown reception, and needs to be a mainstay in this passing rotation going forward down the stretch.
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints
Top performers:
» Cam Newton, QB: 380 total yards, 5 TD, INT, 36.14 fantasy points
» Jonathan Stewart, RB: 24 touches, 113 total yards, TD, 15.30 fantasy points
» Ted Ginn, WR: 5 rec, 80 yards, 2 TD, 20.00 fantasy points
» Jerricho Cotchery, WR: 3 rec, 26 yards, TD, 8.60 fantasy points
» Greg Olsen, TE: 9 rec, 129, 10.90 fantasy points
» Drew Brees, QB: 282 yards, 3 TD, INT, 22.48 fantasy points
» Mark Ingram, RB: 16 touches, 79 total yards, TD, 15.90 fantasy points
» Brandin Cooks, WR: 6 rec, 104 yards, TD, 16.40 fantasy points
» Brandon Coleman, WR: 4 rec, 73 yards, TD, 13.30 fantasy points
» Benjamin Watson, TE: 4 rec, 38 yards, TD, 9.80 fantasy points
The Panthers came into this game with a pristine matchup against the leaky Saints defense, and they delivered. Cam Newton posted his highest scoring fantasy game of the season, and sliced up this secondary through increasingly difficult circumstances. All of his weapons made due, as Ted Ginn, Jerricho Cotchery, Devin Funchess and Mike Tolbert caught Newton's touchdowns, and Greg Olsen went over 120 receiving yards on nine catches. The return of Corey Brown seemed to diminish Funchess' role, and he caught just one pass on three targets in a pass-heavy game script. Jonathan Stewart posted one of his usual stat lines, and took it over the top with a red zone score. His value is actually on the uptick after catching six passes over the last two weeks.
Drew Brees posted a strong fantasy outing for those brave enough to start him against this defense. Brandin Cooks got loose on a busted coverage and hauled in a long score, while Ben Watson and Brandon Coleman paced the passing attack underneath. Mark Ingram posted one of his usual consistent stat lines, and remains one of the steadiest running backs in fantasy. In the future, even if this team isn't very good, it's hard to consider benching your Saints players when they're at home.
Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders
Top performers:
» Alex Smith, QB: 162 pass yards, 2 TD, 23 rush yards, TD, 2-pt conv, 24.78 fantasy points
» Jeremy Maclin, WR: 95 yards, 2 TD, fumble, 19.50 fantasy points
» Chiefs D/ST: 4 sacks, 3 INT, TD, 17.00 fantasy points
» Latavius Murray, RB: 97 yards, TD, 15.70 fantasy points
» Derek Carr, QB: 283 pass yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, 13.32 fantasy points
» Michael Crabtree, WR: 45 yards, TD, 10.50 fantasy points
Alex Smith was just about at his fantasy ceiling today. The Chiefs quarterback didn't do much in the yardage department, but a pair of passing touchdowns and a rushing score made up the difference. It was also good to see Jeremy Maclin getting heavily involved in the second half and putting up close to 20 fantasy points. The backfield work was split fairly evenly between Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware with Ware getting the better of the fantasy production because of a touchdown. If this is what that rotation is going to be moving forward, fantasy managers aren't going to be happy.
Derek Carr was off his game this week with three interceptions all coming in the fourth quarter. Regardless Michael Crabtree was still able to put up a decent fantasy line. Amari Cooper's totals could have been better were it not for a couple of drops. Latavius Murray was a pleasant surprise this week with nearly 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. This performance might make him a more viable start heading into the fantasy playoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots
Top performers:
» Sam Bradford, QB: 120 pass yards, 2 TDs, 12.80 fantasy points
» DeMarco Murray, RB: 24 rush yards, 2.40 fantasy points
» Darren Sproles, RB: 66 rush yards, 34 rec yards, 10.00 fantasy points
» Jordan Matthews, WR: 36 rec yards, TD, 9.60 fantasy points
» Zach Ertz, TE: 9 rec yards, TD, fumble lost, 4.90 fantasy points
» Eagles D/ST: 4 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 TDs, 1 return TD, 28 pts allowed
» Tom Brady, QB: 312 pass yards, 3 pass TDs, 2 INTs, 17 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 36 rec yards, 31.78 fantasy points
» LeGarrette Blount, RB: 54 rush yards, 5.40 fantasy points
» Danny Amendola, WR: 62 rec yards, TD, 13.64 fantasy points
» Scott Chandler, TE: 61 rec yards, TD, 12.10 fantasy points
» James White, RB: 4 rush yards, 115 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 17.90 fantasy points
This game went nothing like we expected. The Eagles beat the Patriots 35-28 at Foxboro. Philadelphia only scored two offensive touchdowns in the game though, one by Zach Ertz and another by Jordan Matthews. The rest of the scoring was done on defense and special teams. Philadelphia blocked a Patriots punt and returned that for a score in the first half. In the third quarter, Malcom Jenkins intercepted a Tom Brady pass that was pretty much on the goal line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. Then, a few minutes later, Darren Sproles returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown. Whew! The Eagles backfield was disappointing, especially for DeMarco Murray owners. He's had three straight bad games now and we're questioning his value for the fantasy playoffs.
Tom Brady delivered another great fantasy performance with four total touchdowns, including a rushing score as the Patriots tried to mount a comeback late in the fourth quarter. Running back James White led New England in receiving with 10 catches for 115 yards and a receiving touchdown. Both White and Danny Amendola saw 13 targets in this one. Thankfully, owners who needed a few points from tight end Scott Chandler were rewarded with a touchdown and 61 receiving yards. He should be just fine as a Rob Gronkowski fill-in for as long as Gronk is sidelined.
Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers
Top performers:
» Brock Osweiler, QB: 166 yards, TD, INT, 8.74 fantasy points
» Ronnie Hillman, RB: 19 carries, 56 yards, 5.6 fantasy points
» C.J. Anderson, RB: 54 total yards, 5.4 fantasy points
» Demaryius Thomas, WR: 6 rec, 61 yards, TD, 12.1 fantasy points
» Broncos D/ST: 4 sack, INT, 2 fmbl rec, TD, 3 pts allowed, 23 fantasy points
» Philip Rivers, QB: 202 yards, INT, 6.08 fantasy points
» Melvin Gordon, RB: 55 rush yards, 8 rec yards, fmbl, 4.3 fantasy points
» Antonio Gates, TE: 6 rec, 50 yards, 5 fantasy points
Denver's offense started out hot, moving right down the field for a Brock Osweiler to Demaryius Thomas touchdown in the first quarter. C.J. Anderson looked to be picking up right where he left off, averaging six yards per carry on his first seven rushers, but an ankle injury sidelined him and he did not return. Ronnie Hillman took on 19 rushes as a result, but only managed 56 yards. With the run game in neutral, the passing game suffered as well (Osweiler wasn't particularly sharp either). Emmanuel Sanders managed just 24 total yards. This offense should rebound, especially if Anderson's ankle injury is minor.
Watching the San Diego offense is like watching a tragedy unfold before your eyes. This team has been snake bitten like no other when it comes to injuries, as they had to watch former CFL star Dontrelle Inman get carted off and taken to the hospital with a neck injury. Philip Rivers didn't have the protection or offensive weapons to do anything against the fierce Denver defense, and he'll be hard-pressed to produce in fantasy if this continues. Steve Johnson was held catchless, Melvin Gordon ran better but fumbled, and Danny Woodhead saw a meager six touches. We're close to reaching a point where fantasy owners won't be able to trust any part of this offense, especially with the playoffs literally around the corner.
Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers
Top performers:
» Matt Hasselbeck, QB: 169 pass yards, TD, INT, 1 rush yard, fumble lost, 4.86 fantasy points
» Frank Gore, RB: 45 rush yards, 49 rec yards, rec TD, 15.40 fantasy points
» T.Y. Hilton, WR: 36 rec yards, 3.60 fantasy points
» Ben Roethlisberger, QB: 364 pass yards, 4 TDs, 13 rush yards, 2-pt conversion, 33.86 fantasy points
» DeAngelo Williams, RB: 134 rush yards, 31 rec yards, lost fumble, 14.50 fantasy points
» Antonio Brown, WR: 118 rec yards, 2 TDs, 23.80 fantasy points
» Martavis Bryant, WR: 114 rec yards, TD, 17.40 fantasy points
» Markus Wheaton, WR: 50 rec yards, TD, 11.00 fantasy points
This one was a blowout in favor of the Steelers. And while Frank Gore got the scoring started on Sunday night with an early touchdown, that was all she wrote for the Colts. Gore led Indianapolis in receiving yards too, which is not a good thing when it comes to fantasy production from the other pass-catchers on the team. Matt Hasselbeck struggled and was under pressure taking hits all night. It was not a good showing for the Colts in any aspect.
For Pittsburgh, all of the usual suspects were up to their fantasy producing ways. Antonio Brown led the way with two touchdowns and 118 yards on eight receptions on 11 targets. Martavis Bryant was next in line with 114 yards on four receptions, including a monstrous 68-yard touchdown catch in the second half. Markus Wheaton followed up his huge Week 12 with 50 yards and a score here too. Ben Roethlisberger lived up to his QB1 status with 364 pass yards and four touchdowns on the night. He's locked in as a starter for the fantasy playoffs. Let's not forget about DeAngelo Williams either. He handled the ball a total of 31 times. That kind of volume for a talented back usually results in great production, and although he didn't score he collected 134 rush yards and added 31 through the air. He's filling in quite nicely for the injured Le'Veon Bell.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington
Top performers:
» Matt Cassel, QB: 222 pass yards, -3 rush yards, 8.58 fantasy points
» Darren McFadden, RB: 59 yards, TD, 2 fumbles, 7.90 fantasy points
» Terrance Williams, WR: 63 yards, 6.30 fantasy points
» Dez Bryant, WR: 62 yards, 6.20 fantasy points
» Kirk Cousins, QB: 219 pass yards, TD, 6 rush yards, 13.36 fantasy points
» DeSean Jackson, WR: 80 yards, TD, fumble, 12.00 fantay points
» Washington D/ST: Sack, 3 fumble recoveries, 8.00 fantasy points
It took seemingly forever, but things actually happened in this game. Not a lot of things, mind you. But some things. Most notably, Darren McFadden rushing for a touchdown as part of a late scoring flurry. That somewhat helped mitigate a pair of fumbles earlier in the game. Matt Cassel unsurprisingly struggled yet again and he unfortunately took Dez Bryant's fantasy value down with him. Take a good look, folks. This is Dez's future for the remainder of the season.
For much of the season, Kirk Cousins had been pretty great at home. That stretch ended tonight. Washington's quaterback didn't do much of anything until a late touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson. Yet again, the team's run game didn't offer much -- although Matt Jones didn't fumble. That's a definite improvement. The defense did have a respectable performance with a sack and three forced turnovers. At least it's over.
