Every Saturday morning, I'll take a quick look at all the week's games, offering my own brief take on what I think will happen, as well as touching on significant injury news since our Weekly came out. I'll check in every so often over the course of the day to answer questions, too.
What follows is a brief look at all the games with how I'd react in my own lineups to injury developments or other news. The official rankings are the ones in the Weekly. Those are the ones that subscribers are paying for. Sometimes players are very close in the rankings, and if I get questions like that, I'll offer opinions. Sometimes I like certain players more or less than Ian, and sometimes I have different risk tolerance with injuries/weather issues, etc.
Week 15 and semifinal week in many leagues. Some of us might already have a good idea if we're going to win or lose based on the Chargers-Kansas City game. Facing Damien Williams is one tough one; facing him while starting Keenan Allen or Tyreek even worse. (Both guys nearly caught touchdowns...nearly.) But lineups have a lot of other players go plenty more than could go wrong/right.
Texans at Jets: This one will be played this afternoon, of course, so get your Texans and Jets (anyone starting any?) in and out of your lineups. New York's defense isn't very good so I'm fine using Watson, Hopkins and Miller, but that's pretty much it. If I could use any Jets (and I can, in those one-game competitions on daily games that I'm addicted to) I'd be using Elijah McGuire and Chris Herndon or maybe Robby Anderson, but he's too pricey for what will probably be low impact. Weather shouldn't be a factor unless players lose sight of the football in the harsh, gray, depressing sky.
Browns at Broncos: Kind of thinking the schedule-makers could have rethought which game got put in primetime on Saturday night. I guess there's Baker Mayfield and Phillip Lindsay to enjoy, Nick Chubb too, but not exactly a beaut. Denver basically Lindsay as its only viable starter, I suppose Sutton or maybe Tim Patrick or DaeSean Hamilton, but Denver's passing game isn't too enticing. A Cleveland win would surprise no one, nor would a less than thrilling dud.
Cardinals at Falcons: Speaking of duds. At least one of those teams is in the playoff hunt. This has nothing going for it aside from a couple of good (David Johnson) or semi-good (Tevin Coleman, with Ito Smith not 100 percent) running backs against bad run defenses. Although Atlanta has Deion Jones back, which helps, and the Falcons tend to want to pass it even with Arizona's defense being better in that regard. Austin Hooper isn't 100 percent but sounds like he'll be playing.
Bucs at Ravens: All the times in recent weeks we've told you to start Jameis Winston, can be set aside. Ravens defense is really good and not a great week to use Winston. Most of us wouldn't have the luxury of sitting down Mike Evans, but tougher matchup for him. Running backs best avoided, for Tampa anyway. For Baltimore, I like Gus Edwards, though we could see Kenneth Dixon playing nearly as much. Supposed to rain during this game, making the passing games even less appealing.
Lions at Bills: Not much doing for the Lions in this one; good defense and all their good players are hurt. For Buffalo, LeSean McCoy iffy, probably out, but Josh Allen is taking all the production anyway. I think Allen is the viable starting option in this game...and either or both defenses.
Packers at Bears: Remember the days when you'd always start Aaron Rodgers because he's so awesome and can put up big numbers against any defense? Those were the days. Now I've already benched him for Philip Rivers and that worked out fine. Packers offense should struggle. Chicago offense should put up good numbers, although it hasn't for a little while, and the passing game production tends to be spread around. I've given up on Trey Burton, so maybe he'll be good this week. Tarik Cohen yes, Jordan Howard maybe (while granting that he is Jordan Howard).
Raiders at Bengals: Actually told my son to start Doug Martin as an alternative to Melvin Gordon, and last week's pickup Jeff Wilson might not be viable. Recommending Martin doesn't ever feel good, but the Bengals defense is that bad right now. Oakland's not good either, so thumbs up on Joe Mixon obviously and Tyler Boyd. Other creaky Raider to consider is Jordy Nelson. Can we give the Raiders more grief for trading a 3rd-round pick for Martavis Bryant? Doesn't that way more than cancel out getting a 1st for Amari Cooper (especially because that 1st will be a late one and they probably won't draft a better player than Cooper anyway). Oh, but I'm sure Reggie McKenzie made the bad deals and Jon Gruden made the good ones.
Cowboys at Colts: Hey, Amari Cooper! Not a great matchup for the Colts, but they're home and the game means more to them. Hard to sit Andrew Luck. T.Y. Hilton a gametime decision, which is worrying. Assuming he'll play, but need to line up backup plan. I think you start usual Cowboys and your best Colts (which doesn't include any of the running backs).
Washington at Jaguars: If there's ever a game that reeks of 13-10, this is it. I guess you can consider Adrian Peterson and Leonard Fournette. And with Jordan Reed (not Josh Reed, sorry for the Update error) out, those in TE desperate leagues can consider Vernon Davis. But neither team has a quarterback and I don't recommend any receivers, so no need to ask about it.
Dolphins at Vikings: Zero interest in Miami's offense in this game. Nobody; not Drake, not Stills, not Parker. Pass. For Minnesota, though, I like Cook and the main wideouts, and I suppose Kirk Cousins. I thought their miracle win over New England was as great as every other non-Patriots fan, but can someone please put Miami out of our misery? Nobody wants to see these guys in the playoffs.
Titans at Giants: Big game! No not really. But you know, Titans at Giants? Big? I'm funny. No Odell Beckham, which gives some extra value to Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram. But the Titans have a pretty good defense and weather indicates it will raining. I'm intrigued by what the end zones will look like; Jets-Texans is played here today and apparently there won't be time to get the Giants colors on the field, so it will be either Jets or some generic colors. I think they should go with Texans, their colors are similar to the Giants. As for the game, sure, Derrick Henry off his big game, in the unlikely event anyone in the playoffs actually drafted Henry. Nobody needs help to start Barkley.
Seahawks at 49ers: Speaking of rain, it's supposed to be pouring and really windy in this one, so running games better than passing ones. But Matt Breida is questionable, and usually he plays when that's the case (albeit a candidate to limp off early). Chris Carson looks good. Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett have some value. I'd be avoiding injured Doug Baldwin, and in general both passing games (so I'm not actually recommending Wilson/Lockett/Dante Pettis). Gotta start George Kittle though.
Patriots at Steelers: While working on the narrative that the Patriots have owned this series in recent years, worth noting that Pittsburgh got screwed out of a win last year by the Jesse James catch that should have been a touchdown (OK, no, letter of the rule at that time, not a catch). In any case, should be plenty of offense in this one. I don't think James Conner should be used, at all, even if he's active. And I'm not just saying that, I've got a playoff game and a team with Conner and Jaylen Samuels on the roster, and at the moment I've got Samuels in the lineup and Conner on the bench. I'm hoping Conner inactive, but even if he's active I might just leave things as they are. For the Patriots I like James White a little more than Ian, I think.
Eagles at Rams: Rams offense should be great and I'm happily starting key players. Eagles offense I have no interest in the ground game and Zach Ertz is the only receivers I like much. Suppose Darren Sproles in PPR, he could be busy. I know Playoff Nick Foles might show up, but I don't think he's worth too heavily investing in.
Saints at Panthers: This figures to be higher-scoring; not concerned about Cam Newton's injury. I'm OK using both passing games and definitely Alvin Kamara. Not so much fond of Mark Ingram since Carolina's better defending the run. It's bizarre the way everything looked so good for the Panthers midseason, then they lost a couple of unlikely games and here we are with them unlikely to make the postseason. Yes, I'm using Ian Thomas (over Trey Burton), that's what the tight end position has come to.
Hey, good luck this weekend. Enjoy the games.