Well, here we are. It’s championship week in many fantasy leagues. So, if you’re reading this, that probably means you’re team is still alive and about to play for a title. If that’s the case, congratulations, and may the odds be ever in your favor. If you’re reading this just because you like my writing, I thank you and also urge you to get your head examined.
Anyway, with only two weeks left in the season, this week’s picks assume that, if you’re still playing, your team is probably already set. Therefore, we’re placing a greater emphasis than ever on matchups. Which players are poised to have big games against sub-par defenses this week? Let’s find out. We’re helping you win some hardware in this week’s trends.
Dylan Sinn is a freelance contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSinn or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
Week 16 Who's Up Down
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DeAngelo Williams RB – Carolina
Williams saw his fantasy value jump last week when Jonathan Stewart was ruled out with a torn MCL. The former Memphis standout took advantage of his opportunity as the feature back, piling up 168 total yards and a touchdown on a 72-yard screen pass. The eight-year veteran carried the ball 15 times and caught three passes out of the backfield, his most touches since Week 6.
There’s a chance that Stewart could return in Week 16, but he’ll likely be limited if he does play, so look for Williams to get the majority of the touches again. The Panthers face a Saints defense that ranks 21st in the league in rush defense and just gave up 133 yards on the ground to Zac Stacy in Week 15 (his first 100-yard game since November 3). Now that he’s finally getting the lion’s share of the touches in the Carolina backfield, Williams is a solid option in Week 16 and could provide a boost if you’re thin at running back.
Arrow Pointing: UP
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Drew Brees QB – New Orleans
There’s no other way around it -- Brees is a different quarterback away from home than he is in the Superdome. In Week 15, Brees did throw for 393 yards but he only found the end zone once through the air and tossed two picks against a defense that’s ranked 27th against the pass. In his last two home games, the former Purdue star has 5 TDs and 1 INT, with a QBR of 83. In his last two road games, he’s thrown two touchdowns and two picks and posted a QBR of only 29. As Michael Smith and Jemele Hill tell us every day, numbers never lie and the numbers say Brees is pretty average outside of New Orleans.
I firmly believe that trend will continue this week against an ornery Panthers defense that will be out for revenge after taking a beating from Brees and the Saints last week. The Panthers rank fifth in the league in pass defense, and will likely have made some adjustments since their matchup in Week 14. Look for a much better performance this time around against the 34-year old quarterback from Luke Kuechly and Co. It’s a gamble, but I like Cutler better than Brees in Week 16.
Arrow Pointing: DOWN
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Jay Cutler QB – Chicago
Like I said in the opening, your team probably doesn’t need much help if it’s still alive this week. However, Cutler is better than all but a handful of QBs in the league and, thanks to his having just one game under his belt in the last month and a half, he’s available in nearly half of ESPN leagues right now. He was understandably a little rusty early on Sunday in his first game back from an ankle injury, but he settled in, completing 71 percent of his passes for 265 yards and three TDs against a Browns pass defense that ranks in the top ten in the league.
Cutler has weapons all around him in the Bears offense and as he’s always had the arm strength to make any throw on the field. With receivers like Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery on the outside, he can air it out and expect one of them to come down with the ball. In Week 16, Chicago faces a Philadelphia defense that just gave up 382 yards to Matt Cassel. This game figures to be a shootout (the Bears can’t stop anybody, either), so expect coach Marc Trestman to allow Cutler to throw close to 40 times. If he does that, very few quarterbacks should start over him.
Arrow Pointing: UP
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Kirk Cousins QB – Washington
Cousins is Washington’s starter for the remainder of the season and in his short career has proven he can handle the pressure of being thrown into the fire. In some extremely difficult circumstances on Sunday (his first start in nearly a full year, trying to keep Mike Shanahan off the unemployment line, etc.) the former Michigan State star sliced through the Atlanta defense for 381 yards and three TDs, completing over 64 percent of his passes along the way.
Washington is probably trying to showcase Cousins for an offseason trade, so he will likely get to air it out this weekend as the Redskins try to spoil the Cowboys’ playoff hopes for the second straight year. The 25-year old is a very intriguing option against the defense that just got lit up by Matt Flynn (no, I didn’t think that was possible, either). He might be a better start than a Gronk-less Tom Brady facing the tough Ravens D.
Arrow Pointing: UP
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Matt Asiata RB – Minnesota
Asiata will likely be one of the top waiver wire pickups this week after he ran for three TDs against the Eagles on Sunday in one of the biggest surprises of the season. My message for my readers concerning Asiata is this -- do not start him in Week 16 under any circumstances.
First of all, although Asiata did find pay-dirt three times, he gained an anemic 1.7 yards per carry against a Philadelphia defense ranked 16th in the league in rush defense. Next week, the Vikings face the stingy Bengals rush defense that is allowing less than 100 yards per game on the ground, so the Utah product is likely to be stonewalled on a majority of his carries.
To make matters worse for Asiata’s fantasy potential, it seems likely that the Vikings’ top two backs, Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart, will both return from their injuries against Cincinnati. It appears as though there probably won’t be many carries for the California native on Sunday. Asiata had one average game; there’s no reason to start him in your fantasy playoffs, no matter how desperate you are for a back.
Arrow Pointing: DOWN
