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Fantasy Football Index publisher Ian Allan answers your questions about fantasy football. Click here to submit a question.

Mailbag

Mailbag for December 11, 2024

Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. In this edition. Grading defenses for playoff matchups. Playing out the string. Red-hot Courtland Sutton. And more.

Question 1

Courtland Sutton or Cooper Kupp for games in Week 16? League is half-point PPR plus yardage. I already have Puka on the board.

RICHARD THOMAS (Allen, TX)

Sutton has been awfully reliable recently, catching at least 6 passes in six straight games. During this run, he’s been the 4th-most productive wide receiver in the game. He’s got the Bengals that week, who tend to give up a lot of yards and points to everyone they play. I would be thinking Sutton.

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Question 2

I'm out of the playoffs (missed it by this much) but always take my best shot. Can't stand the guys that just phone it in at the end of the season. So, my question is, who best to slot into a flex position. I have Tank Dell, Travis Etienne, Demarcus Robinson (possibly inactive) or pick up Patrick Taylor (depends on availability of Isaac Guerendo). I'll know more when actives/inactives are released tomorrow, just want to be ready. Any information you can give would be great. Thanks for another great season, looking forward to next year!

David Hogshire (Plymouth, MN)

I appreciate you running it out. I also am irked by owners who check out mentally after their teams are eliminated. Let’s pick up Patrick Taylor, keeping him available in your back pocket. If we know that Taylor is starting, he’s your guy. (But why do I have this feeling in the back of my head, that the 49ers are going to toss Izzy Abanikanda out there, with him busting a few runs to add further humiliation to the Jets’ awful season?) If Taylor isn’t starting, then I think Tank Dell (pictured) is your guy. Miami’s defense has been woefully leaky against the pass recently.

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Question 3

I made the playoffs and currently have the Eagles defense.At kickoff of week 15 we are not allowed to adjust our roster. Which defense is the best to get me through weeks 15-17?

PAUL NICKAS (Jacksonville, FL)

If we take out offenses have played so far, totaling up their sacks, interceptions and lost fumbles, it looks like the Jaguars, Bengals, Dolphins and Kansas City have the most good stuff left on their schedules. (The last column is the total using 1 point for sacks and 2 for takeaways).

DEFENSIVE STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (next 3 G)
TeamSackFumIntF Pts
Jacksonville1192734241
Cincinnati1172435235
Miami1212233231
Kansas City1301927222
Atlanta1152428219
Indianapolis1062630218
Green Bay1062230210
Chicago1061832206
Baltimore1192122205
Carolina882433202
Seattle1131826201
Minnesota1121628200
LA Chargers942030194
Arizona931829187
New Orleans891930187
Tampa Bay932126187
Tennessee812132187
Dallas901631184
Philadelphia982122184
Buffalo991527183
Las Vegas761835182
Cleveland991922181
LA Rams802326178
Washington871728177
Denver941921174
Detroit951720169
NY Giants691732167
San Francisco851522159
Houston861719158
Pittsburgh901519158
NY Jets661424142
New England741514132

If we average those numbers against what defenses have done so far (giving equal weight to the numbers on both sides of the ball), they say that the Vikings, Packers, Texans, Broncos and Colts will have the most productive defenses over the next three weeks. (Somebody made a comment yesterday, expressing concern about Houston’s upcoming schedule; the numbers below suggest the Texans are not ranked too high but too low.)

BALLPARKING OF DEFENSES (next 3 G)
TeamSackFumIntF Pts
Minnesota2.97.471.136.18
Green Bay2.63.74.855.81
Houston2.72.53.865.49
Denver3.01.47.735.42
Indianapolis2.59.68.735.41
Pittsburgh2.38.69.825.41
Chicago2.55.62.795.37
Buffalo2.38.62.855.31
LA Chargers2.71.41.885.29
Baltimore3.10.42.555.05
Cincinnati2.42.54.765.01
Tampa Bay2.54.65.564.97
Seattle2.68.38.764.96
Philadelphia2.68.54.594.94
Dallas2.54.40.784.90
Detroit2.41.45.794.90
New Orleans2.26.36.884.74
Miami2.47.44.694.73
Arizona2.50.50.604.71
San Francisco2.44.42.714.69
Jacksonville2.49.46.634.67
Kansas City2.71.40.584.65
Carolina2.09.54.694.55
LA Rams2.10.49.724.51
Washington2.35.56.514.50
Cleveland2.54.51.444.44
Atlanta2.21.46.634.38
NY Giants2.35.53.494.37
Tennessee2.08.42.724.36
Las Vegas2.09.27.724.06
NY Jets2.27.49.384.01
New England1.99.38.413.58

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Question 4

Basic scoring 6 pts. for all TD's. 3 pt bonus for 250 yards passing. 3 point bonus for 100 yards receiving or passing. TE's need 50 yards to get 3 point bonus.. 1 point for every 25 yards after reaching thresholds. QB Baker or A. Richardson, TE M. Andrews or C. Otton, WR's Nacua, C. Sutton, X. Worthy, Q. Johnston,. need 2 RB's & 2 WR's and 1 flex. Playing Achane & J. Taylor at RB. Thanks !

Manuel Madrid (San Tan Valley, AZ)

Richardson is too volatile for me. I would roll with Baker. I’m not crazy about Andrews; I remember him not even catching a pass in two games early this year where the Ravens were really running it. But Andrews has played well enough recently that I think he gets the nod over Otton (who has tailed off). With the other four, you’re just looking for one to toss, right? And this is essentially a TD-only hybrid. So I will keep Quentin Johnston, who’s caught almost half of the Chargers’ touchdowns, over Xavier Worthy, who’s been catching more passes of late but who is only one of many potential scorers for Kansas City.

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