What a week for rookies in fantasy! As teams are getting more desperate, we’re starting to see them turn to their younger players more and more. These young bucks could be your key to winning your league this year. Here are some more thoughts on Sunday’s matchups:

 

-I can’t be the only one sick of the way the Panthers offense is being run. You can’t wait til the 4th quarter of every game to unleash some aggressive pass plays or let Cam Newton use his feet. This offense severely limits the upside of Newton and any other skill player.

 

-You would think that with the conservative run, run, and then run some more offense of the Panthers, Deangelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart would be able to get something going, especially against the Falcons. I’m wary to start either player in anything but the deepest of fantasy leagues at this point.

 

–Greg Olsen is the most consistent tight end in the league and arguably the most valuable considering his mid-round ADP.

 

-Just one week after face-planting against the Packers, Jay Cutler and Co. went bonkers against Minnesota in Week 11. Someone had actually dropped Cutler in one of my leagues, after which I promptly scooped him up. Do the same if he’s available. Cutler has only scored fewer than 20 pts in standard leagues twice this season, making him fantasy gold despite his troublesome real-life football outlook.

 

-It also appears that Brandon Marshall is finally healthy. He’s going to be an invaluable asset to finish out the fantasy season.

 

-Depending on the statuses of Greg Jennings and Arius Wright, Charles Johnson would be a sneaky daily and deep league streamer against Green Bay next week. He’s athletic and freaky-fast.

 

-I don’t know if there’s been a bigger waste of fantasy potential this season than Cordarrelle Patterson. Maybe the reinsertion of AP will help unleash him, but I think this might be a lost year for the athletic specimen.

 

-The whole J.J. Watt as a pass-catcher thing is cute, but it infuriates me as an owner of DeAndre Hopkins. There are able receivers on the Texans offense. There’s no need to put Watt in the game at the goal line, especially now that everyone knows the ball is going to him.

 

-It’s a relief to know that Alfred Blue can handle a full compliment of snaps should Arian Foster miss more time.

 

-It’s early, but Ryan Mallett looks like an improvement over Ryan Fitzpatrick. He can open up the field, and he has the ability to get the ball to multiple receivers  throughout the game.

 

-TE Garrett Graham might actually be a nice TE option now that Mallett is under center.

 

-The Browns RB musical chairs game continues. Isaiah Crowell was the winner this week, but who knows how that will play out in week 12? It’s worth taking a chance on Crowell as he is their best back, and the Browns are playing the Falcons next week.

-If I had to choose one Browns receiver to continue to roll with it once Josh Gordon returns, it would be Andrew Hawkins. He excels at the underneath, possession role that will complement Gordon’s deep threat capabilities.

 

-If I could do it all over again, Jamaal Charles would be my first pick in all of my drafts.

 

-As much as I like Travis Kelce, he  just can’t be depended on in fantasy. That goes for any Chiefs skill player other than Charles.

 

–DeAnthony Thomas should be owned in dynasty leagues.

 

-I’m becoming less and less sure  that the Seahawks will get rid of Marshawn Lynch after this season despite all the reports. He’s playing too well, and Christine Michael has yet to impress me in a game.

 

-With Brandin Cooks sidelined for the next several weeks with a broken finger, Kenny Stills should be owned in all leagues.

 

-After posting the worst game of his career in Week 10, Andy Dalton had arguably the best game of his career the following week. Just shows how screwed up this season has been. I’d still rather roll with a Cutler or Josh McCown down the stretch, though.

 

–Jeremy Hill will retain at least flex-status even when Gio Bernard returns and the Bengals might be wise to use Bernard as the change-of-pace and Hill as the feature back.

 

–Odell Beckham is the Giants best receiver, but Randle will still warrant every week WR 2/3 consideration on a team that will probably be playing from behind for most of the season. Eli Manning loves to feed Randle.

 

-If Vernon Davis is still on your fantasy team, your season is probably already over. If it isn’t – dump him.

 

-Even though Michael Crabtree had the better game, Anquan Boldin led the 49ers in catches and appears to be Kaepo’s go to.

 

–Peyton Manning isn’t quite as scary without his full arsenal of weapons. If Emmanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas should miss substantial time, Wes Welker and Jacob Tamme are the adds this week.

 

-Even with Shaun Hill at QB, Kenny Britt is worth at least a flex spot.

 

-I love Tre Mason, but I’m still befuddled as to why Zac Stacy isn’t getting any snaps at all. I think he’s still a hold in dynasty leagues, as he should find a home elsewhere and be productive there.

 

-With Montee Ball looking like he’s going to miss more time, and like he still stinks, Juwan Thompson is worth a speculative add in deeper leagues.

 

–Robert Griffin III is doing wonders for Alfred Morris, and nothing else for any of his receivers. I just don’t think Gruden’s offense is the right fit.

 

–Mike Evans just keeps improving every week. He has the tools to rival the Calvin Johnson‘s and Josh Gordon‘s of the league for fantasy dominance at the WR position.

 

–Charles Sims gets one more week to prove to me that he isn’t just another toothless member of the three-headed Tampa backfield committee. He looked like a younger version of the tip-toe burglar Brandon Jacobs in Week 11, and I don’t mean that in a good way.

 

-Is that a Latavius Murray sighting? Now that their season is completely out of hand, the Raiders are looking to the future of the franchise. Murray is worth an add in all leagues, but keep your expectations low.

 

–Mychal Rivera isn’t going away. His stats were unassuming this week, but he is still leading the team in targets. Keep running him out there.

 

-I have to admit Ryan Mathews was electrifying on the field yesterday. He’s all systems go should the apparent Week 11 setback to end the game be minor. Branden Oliver actually got quite a few carries as well, at critical junctures in the game no less, and he will be worth flex starts in plus matchups.

 

-Any team that holds a healthy Calvin Johnson to under 60 yards is doing something right. With a healthy Tyran Mathieu and a stifling Patrick Peterson in the secondary, Arizona is no longer the receiver doormat of the West.

 

-Like I suspected, Drew Stanton is a much better QB for Michael Floyd than Carson Palmer was. He’s not afraid to take shots downfield. Start Floyd as a WR2.

 

–John Brown is going to see an uptick in targets with a hobbled Fitz around. He’s worth an add in most leagues.

 

–Jeremy Maclin is still the number 1 option in Philly, but Jordan Matthews is a close 1B.

 

-With Matthews as a primary red-zone target, all Philly TEs are going to suffer on the stat sheet. Zach Ertz, despite a decent Week 11 game, has become basically droppable.

 

–Davante Adams is basically playing the role of TE in the end-zone for Aaron Rodgers. He won’t get a ton of yards for you, but he’s a lock to get at least a couple targets in the end zone.

 

-I’m so upset for forgetting to put Jonas Gray in the Garbage Grab this past week. Instead, I just put him into my lineup. He’s going to see major carries from here on out, despite the RBBC nature of the Pats. You can’t deny his powerful running style.

 

–Coby Fleener would be my top TE pickup this week, if it turns out Dwayne Allen is going to miss time.

 

–Dan Herron is a nice pickup at RB as well. We’ve seen that Trent Richardson can’t handle a full load himself, and it looks like Ahmad Bradshaw could miss several games.