Every Saturday morning, Andy Richardson offers brief overviews of the upcoming Sunday games, including significant developments involving injuries. He'll also offer opinions on lineup questions over the course of the day.
Has anyone else noticed that despite the NFL making more and more changes designed to cut down on injuries, there seem to be more players than usual getting hurt? I realize, of course, that the changes instituted are primarily meant to reduce head injuries and other potentially debilitating issues. They can't stop Reggie Wayne from tearing an ACL when he bends down to catch a low throw, or Christian Ponder from dislocating a shoulder diving for the goal line. (Ponder having his touchdown overturned by replay is a pretty much textbook "adding insult to injury.")
You won't hear me arguing with well-intentioned efforts to increase player safety. It's a reminder, though, that only so much can be done. Hopefully new rules will cut down on brain injuries. Unless you put red no-contact jerseys on quarterbacks -- I give it 5-10 years, tops -- you're not going to prevent the game's biggest stars getting hurt.
Seattle at Atlanta: Roddy White is expected to return for this one. I don't know if he'll play a full complement of snaps, and if I had to use him I'd just be hoping for 3-4 catches and maybe a touchdown (though I wouldn't be expecting it, Seattle's secondary is tough on wideouts). Tony Gonzalez should be good, and Marshawn Lynch great; those are the guys I'd be using.
Cincinnati at Baltimore: We've (and others too) been making the Ray Rice comparison with Gio Bernard for a while. Now can Ray Rice be Ray Rice? Tough to be optimistic, this is a good Bengals defense, but it's not as tough as it was before losing Geno Atkins. Though you kind of wonder now if Rice can run on anyone. I wouldn't bench him for just anyone, but clearly he's not an automatic start. Bernard has a hip issue, and though I'm currently using him in PPR, I am mulling sitting him for LeVeon Bell. Rankings are very close.
Detroit at Chicago: Jay Cutler is expected to play in this game, and since I'm not a medical doctor and haven't examined him, I can only assume the Bears wouldn't put him out there is his mobility was in any way limited. Guess he's fine. I still tend to like Matt Forte a little better, and am a little nervous about Cutler himself. For the Lions, Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, Reggie Bush; can't think of any reason not to use them. The other receivers will split production.
Philadelphia at Green Bay: Michael Vick versus Aaron Rodgers! No? Nick Foles versus Seneca Wallace. I don't think Foles will throw 7 TDs again, but tough to bench a guy off a game like that. Love Eddie Lacy in this game (any game, really). Very concerned about the Green Bay passing game, I cut Jarrett Boykin this week. Expectations need to be lowered for Green Bay receivers, it's that simple. Not the same team.
St. Louis at Indianapolis: Trent Richardson is questionable. If you've got this far and are still in contention, it's been with no contributions from Richardson anyway. So I suggest leaving him on the bench and using other players. Granted, the matchup is great, so if you don't have another decent option, and we're certain Richardson is active, I guess may as well let him disappoint us one more time. I have other options, I'm benching him. Zac Stacy, T.Y. Hilton and Andrew Luck are the appealing guys, while Coby Fleener is my desperation TE if it turns out that Julius Thomas can't play for Denver.
Oakland at N.Y. Giants: No Darren McFadden, so Rashad Jennings is your mostly every down back. Note the Giants run defense has been better since acquiring Jon Beason from Carolina, so it's not a pushover, but at least Jennings catches passes too. Victor Cruz sounds fine. Andre Brown is expected to play limited snaps, so I'm not eager to use him this week. You've been warned.
Buffalo at Pittsburgh: The Bills Defense, that's my favorite defense the rest of the way (of ones you can get, since Kansas City and Seattle aren't available). Pittsburgh here, Geno and the Jets next week. As for this actual game, sounds like C.J. Spiller is finally healthy, and the Steelers D isn't what it was. Both backs look good, and I like LeVeon Bell too. Antonio Brown is what PPR scoring is made for. EJ Manuel returns, but I still don't have much interest in the Bills passing game.
Jacksonville at Tennessee: I like both running backs in this game, and given how bad Jacksonville's defense is in every respect, you have to consider Jake Locker and Kendall Wright, too. The fear is the running game works so well you don't have to throw it, but I made the mistake of sitting down a couple of 49ers a few weeks back against the Jaguars.
Carolina at San Francisco: Good game, but defenses should be ahead of offenses. I don't like any Panther but Newton, Olsen, and maybe Smith (though he has disappointed all season), and only Kaepernick, Davis, and maybe Gore for San Fran.
Houston at Arizona: No Arian Foster, possibly for the rest of the way. Grabbed Dennis Johnson in dynasty, Tate hasn't exactly been durable. I would use Tate here, though, but not an easy matchup. Pretty good AZ defense. Andre Ellington finds his way into a lineup for me....over Larry Fitzgerald. Didn't see that coming a month ago. Gotta start Andre Johnson, but otherwise the Houston passing game doesn't interest me.
Denver at San Diego: I am buying the idea of a wild shootout in this one, and think San Diego has a chance to win. A chance. They've had a chance to win every game, really, but a recent history of messing up for one reason or another. Love all the receivers in this game, quarterbacks too. Knowshon, you bet. Sounds like Julius is OK.
Dallas at New Orleans: Dez Bryant's back. I'm starting him, buying what the Cowboys are saying that it's a sore muscle or whatever. I'm not using him in the Super League, though, because the New Orleans secondary has generally played well. For the Saints, Brees and Graham are the only guys I'd really want to use. Nice matchup for DeMarco Murray (I hate that I have to look up his name every single time, him and Demaryius. At least they're near each other in the Annual.) Should be a fun, fairly high-scoring game, although I'm thinking it's more likely to be 24-23 than 34-31.
Miami at Tampa Bay: I'm not sure which is worse about this matchup -- the game itself, which looks like a dog with mutant fleas, or the fact that we'll get the Monday Night crew talking about the Richie Incognito/Jonathan Martin thing for two hours beforehand, and then all throughout the game. "Ryan Tannehill gets sacked; bet he wishes he had all five starters!" (Of course, Tannehill is on pace to get sacked like 70 times anyway, but whatever.) Oh yeah, the game. I think the Bucs are going to win this thing, and I would use Mike James, Timothy Wright (in PPR), and of course Vincent Jackson. Kind of like Lamar Miller, too.
Enjoy the games.
