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Must Start

1. Calvin Johnson vs. Den – Megatron tops the fantasy football rankings again.

2. Hakeem Nicks vs. Mia – Nicks will top 125 yards with a TD vs. the Fins.

3. Mike Wallace vs. NE – His speed will be too much for the overrated Pats D.

4. DeSean Jackson vs. Dal – Jackson saves his best for Dallas.

Next

Wes Welker vs. Pit – Expect Brady to move Welker around and locate him for double digit catches and a TD.

Miles Austin vs. Phi – Austin’s posted big games vs. the Eagles throughout his career.

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Bal  – Kolb’s lack of production is hurting his fantasy numbers. Expect a better showing this week.

The Rest

Steve Smith vs. Min – The Cam Newton Steve Smith show is alive and well. Expect another 100 yard game this week.

Jeremy Maclin vs. Dal – The Eagles WR’s match up well against the Cowboys secondary.

Sidney Rice vs. Cin – Rice is praying for Jackson to come back. It looks like he will this week.

Marques Colston vs. Stl – His 2 TD performance on Sunday Night shows he’s back.

Dez Bryant vs. Phi – The young speedy receiver could be a handful for Philadelphia in Week 8.

Michael Crabtree vs. Cle – Against a beleaguered Browns unit now’s as good a time as any to step up.

Dwayne Bowe vs. SD – The Chiefs concerted effort to get him the ball is paying dividends. San Diego’s pass D was torched for 3 TDs in Week 7.

Vincent Jackson vs. KC – Jackson will top 90 yards and a TD Monday Night.

Mario Manningham vs. Mia – Manningham’s Week 6 numbers are deceptive; he very easily could have had two TDs if not for a drop in the end zone and tackle just short of the goal line. Look for a potential deep TD vs. the Dolphins this week.

Stevie Johnson vs.  Was – The Bills will find plenty of success passing the ball this week.

Pierre Garcon vs. TN – For as bad as the Colts looked Sunday night, and they looked BAD, Garcon is a threat to score a long TD against the Titans.

A.J. Green vs. Sea – The Seahawks DBs are dropping like flies.

Anquan Boldin vs. Arz – The Ravens struggled mightily on Monday Night but the Cardinals DBs are a welcome sight.

Brandon Lloyd vs. NO – Last week was his first in St. Louis. Expect him to have a better grasp of the system this week and find the end zone against the Saints.

Fantasy Sleeper

Michael Jenkins vs. Car – Jenkins helped rookie QB Christian Ponder start his career on a fine note catching a bomb which nearly went for a TD. He’ll once again be in the rookie’s sights and is a solid fantasy sleeper this week.

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Must Start

1. Calvin Johnson vs. Chi – 8 TDs in four weeks. Why not 10 in five?

2. Greg Jennings vs. Atl – The Falcons have no one that can cover the speedy Jennings.

3. Hakeem Nicks vs. Sea – The passing game will be on display at Metlife this weekend.

4. Wes Welker vs. NYJ – Is anyone hotter in the league right now?

Next

Vincent Jackson vs. Den – Jackson always posts top tier numbers vs. the Broncos.

Roddy White vs. GB – Look for White to come up big on Sunday Night.

DeSean Jackson vs. Buf – The Bills pass D has been non-existent in ’11.

The Rest

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Min – The Vikings run D is stout, so expect the Cards to pass.

Jeremy Maclin vs. Buf – See above for Jackson.

Stevie Johnson vs. Phi – The Eagles have real problems on Defense.

Mike Wallace vs. Ten – Ben Roethlisberger’s injury bears watching.  Wallace is a must start regardless, but becomes more appealing with Ben behind center.

Brandon Lloyd vs. SD – Expect the Broncos to play catch-up on Sunday.

Sidney Rice vs. NYG –The Giants don’t get beat deep much, but there’s yards to be had underneath.

Santonio Holmes vs. NE – Holmes should catch around 7-8 passes for 90 yards and a TD. The Pats pass D is a work in progress.

Steve Smith vs. NO – Cam Newton’s emergence has breathed new life into Smith. Having a top year in ’11.

Marques Colston vs. Car – Now in his 2^nd week back, look for him to play a more prominent role in the offense.

AJ Green vs. JAX – The rookie continues to stand out early on.

Dwayne Bowe vs. Ind – Someone lit a fire under Bowe in Week 4. Expect another strong performance against the Colts.

Mike Williams vs. SF – The 49ers strength is stopping the run.

Eric Decker vs. SD – He consistently makes plays and notched a pair of TDs vs. the Packers. Good flex play in deep leagues.

Jordy Nelson vs. ATL – The Falcons may have to cover Nelson with a Nickel or Safety. You can’t like those odds if you’re Atlanta.

Julio Jones vs. GB – He’s beginning to emerge himself and will find room to work against the Packers secondary.

Fantasy Sleeper

Josh Morgan vs. TB – The Bucs D will probably focus more on Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, leaving Morgan in excellent one on one situations. He’s a solid fantasy sleeper in Week 5.

Must Starts:

1. Randy Moss vs. Buffalo Bills. This is a must win for New England, so look for them to inflict some pain. Does anyone remember Moss’ game last year in Buffalo? Four TDs in the first half alone. Look for another stellar fantasy output in this one as well.

2. Calvin Johnson vs. Green Bay Packers. The conditions could be frigid, but look for Johnson to continue his fantasy dominance. He’s already scored 10 TDs for the worst team in the modern era – perhaps worse than the Bucs in ’76. And he’ll have a chance to add to that total playing against a secondary that can be beaten.

3. Greg Jennings vs. Detroit Lions. On the other side of that coin, look for Jennings to put an end to a fine season. One where he officially became an elite receiver. In last Sunday’s game vs. New Orleans, the Saints scored TDs on six consecutive drive. The Packers will light it up in Week 17 and complete the Lions’ amazing season.

4. Roddy White vs. St. Louis Rams. The Falcons can win the No. 2 seed with a big win on Sunday, and we see White on the receiving end of some big plays to ensure that happens. The Rams have no one that can match White’s big play ability.

Sleepers:

1. Muhsin Muhammed vs. New Orleans Saints. This is a huge game for the Panthers in that a win means a first round bye. And since we expect New Orleans to double Steve Smith, look for Muhammed to be the beneficiary of some extra balls thrown his way.

2. Eddie Royal vs. San Diego Chargers. Royal has put up solid numbers of late because of the attention that is being given to Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler. Look for that to continue on Sunday.

Others with favorable matchups:

1. Andre Johnson vs. Chicago Bears. If the Bears put three guys on him, his numbers will be down. We’re betting that they don’t, and the result is that he will smoke this secondary.

2. Vincent Jackson vs. Denver Broncos. Champ Bailey is back for this critical week 17 matchup, but we still like Jackson. He has come on strong this season, and will have a big fantasy day.

3. Brandon Marshall vs. San Diego Chargers. Do you remember the last time these two teams met? Marshall had 18 catches for 166 and one TD. He torched Cromartie all day long. We don’t think it’ll be this bad, this time, but Marshall will get his due against the Bolts. ]]> https://profootball101.com/2008/12/24/week-17-wr-fantasy-rankings/feed/ 0 https://profootball101.com/2008/12/09/week-15-wr-fantasy-rankings/ https://profootball101.com/2008/12/09/week-15-wr-fantasy-rankings/#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:10:43 +0000 profootball101 http://profootball101.org/?p=1925 Must Starts:

1. Anquan Boldin vs. Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings head out to Arizona with a one-game lead in the NFC Central while the Cardinals wrapped up the NFC West on Sunday. That said, the Vikings don’t fare too well on the road and their pass defense is highly suspect.

Look for Boldin to be able to take advantage of his size/speed combo vs. the smaller secondary of Minnesota and go over the 100-yard mark with a TD for this week’s top fantasy billing.

2. Reggie Wayne vs. Detroit Lions.

The match-up is just too good to ignore. The listless Lions should get destroyed in this contest and we see Peyton, and his favorite receiver Wayne, putting up solid numbers on the day. Look for over 100 and a TD.

3. Terrell Owens vs. New York Giants.

The Giants did a good job of locking down T.O. the last time these two teams met in the Meadowlands but that was without Tony Romo. This week he’s back. Look for Owens to get his yards and possibly take one into the end zone of what we anticipate to be a high scoring game.

4. Steve Smith vs. Denver Broncos.

Even with the return of LCB Champ Bailey, the Denver front has had trouble pressuring opposing QBs all year long and if given time, Steve Smith can destroy a secondary. The Panthers might rely on the running game to set the tempo in this one but look for Delhomme to locate Smith on at least one long touchdown pass.

Sleepers

1. Vincent Jackson vs. Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chargers are still technically alive in playoff race, and this bodes well for Jackson. When Rivers looks down the field for the deep pass, No. 83 will be on his radar.

2. Domenik Hixon vs. Dallas Cowboys.

Hixon had a day Sunday that he would soon rather forget. A potential 85-yard TD went right through his hands, but look for him to get back on track in this football game. The Giants will have to pass, and Eli and Domenik are developing a solid rapport.

Others with favorable match-ups

1. Andre Johnson vs. Tennessee.

Johnson is nearly impossible to cover, no matter how strong your defensive secondary is. And with the return of QB Schaub, look for that connection to get back on track when Tennessee comes to town.

2. Calvin Johnson vs. Indianapolis Colts.

The lone bright spot for Detroit has been second-year receiver Calvin Johnson this season. He just seems to catch long TD after long TD. Look for him to once again break free against a smaller Colts’ secondary and put one into the end zone.

3. Larry Fitzgerald vs. Minnesota Vikings.

Boldin’s partner in crime, Fitzgerald, is also facing a very favorable match-up against the Vikings this week. With Warner expected to break the 300-yard mark once again, there’s plenty to go around. Fitzgerald’s a solid fantasy player, week in and week out.

1. Terrell Owens vs. Seattle Seahawks. After using the media to cry about his lack of involvement in the offense last week, T.O. exploded with a 200+ yard effort vs. the 49ers.

This week, he gets another porous NFC West foe to feast on. Look for Romo to once again target Owens on the deep ball as this will open up things underneath and for the running game. 100 yards and one TD.

2. Reggie Wayne vs. Cleveland Browns. With the loss of C Jeff Saturday for a few weeks, the Colts will have trouble in the running game. The new rookie center will not be able to open up holes like Saturday in that department.

This means Peyton will once again have to win this game through the air and look for he and Wayne to get back on the same page and have a field day. 100 yards and one TD.

3. Lee Evans vs. San Francisco 49ers. If you’ve seen the No. 22 a lot this year, you’re not alone. San Francisco CB Nate Clements has been burned numerous times in ’08 and we see that continuing this week in Buffalo. Evans is the lone deep threat on the Bills and look for he and Edwards to connect on at least one deep ball. 100 yards and one TD.

4. Roddy White vs. San Diego Chargers. Because he is buried down in Atlanta, many people don’t realize how good White actually is. This guy is on the verge of becoming a star. And facing a soft Chargers’ secondary, look for Ryan to locate his favorite receiver for a very strong fantasy day. 100 yards and one TD.

Sleepers

1. Calvin Johnson vs. Tennessee Titans. Johnson has established himself as a legitimate threat and one of the best young receivers to come into the NFL in a long time. The Titans have one of the best defenses in football and an extremely strong CB tandem.

In the end, it won’t matter. Johnson will get his numbers and put another ball into the end zone.

2. Vincent Jackson vs. Atlanta Falcons. As evidenced by WR Steve Smith’s 168 yard day last week, the Falcons can be passed upon. Look for Rivers to target Jackson this week as there will be mismatches in the secondary for the two to exploit.

Others with favorable matchups

1. Andre Johnson vs. Jacksonville Jaguars. Boy has this been a down year for the Jags. All that Super Bowl talk will be replaced by vacation talk in January. As for Johnson, he’s been a beast all year and look for that trend to continue on a national stage this Monday Night.

2. Wes Welker vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have a legit defense that is not easy to penetrate, but Welker is such a unique receiver that he’s nearly impossible to cover in the short passing game. Look for Welker to enjoy a good fantasy day and reel in at least 10 catches in this one.

3. Antonio Bryant vs. New Orleans Saints. One thing apparent from Monday night’s game aside from the fact that the Saints’ offense is ultra dangerous was that their defense wasn’t so good. Look for Garcia and Bryant to go up top on a few occasions and for the receiver to have a strong day on Sunday.

1. Plaxico Burress vs. Cleveland. Plax’s comments, for better or worse, really pinned him as the bad guy this week and he’s taken a lot of heat in both the New York, and National media. However, inside the Giants’ locker room, it’s really been a non-issue and both the team and receiver are ready to move on. In a game that the Giants should begin by pounding the ball and establishing the ground game with Jacobs and Co., I see the Browns being forced to bring a safety up to help out leaving their corners alone on an island. Once this happens, if the Giants can control the line of scrimmage, which they should be able to do, look for Manning and Plax to become reacquainted early and often and I see #17 reeling in 8 or 9 catches for a 100 and a TD.

2. Greg Jennings vs. Seattle. If there’s one thing Seattle’s done well thus far, it’s give up a lot of points. GB comes in reeling a bit after three consecutive losses, but Jennings has produced in spite of those results. He and Rodgers have really developed a strong rapport and I see them putting up solid numbers through the air in this one. GB’s inability to run this year has hurt the play action, but has helped the overall passing numbers because they’re constantly being put into situations where they need to throw. In what should be a high scoring affair, look for Jennings to abuse CB Trufant or Kelly Jennings and put the ball in the end zone with at least 100 yards through the air.

3. DeSean Jackson vs. San Fransisco. If you’ve seen the back of #22 Nate Clements a lot this year, raise your hand? Me too. Mike Nolan’s “bend don’t break” defense isn’t having its desired effect as guys are getting deep on this secondary and SF currently leads the league in allowing plays of 40 yards or more. The confident rookie should do very nicely in this game as he’s coming back to his hometown by the bay, the Eagles are very mad about losing their last two games and are looking to make a statement, and McNabb usually has good games against lesser opponents, so all this leads up to some long plays for the rookie and more than likely a deep ball into the end zone.

Sleepers:

1. Steve Smith vs. Tampa Bay. The Bucs have one of the league’s best defenses, and in particular, pass defenses, but Smith historically puts on his best performance when facing his hated division rival. In a season where Carolina has seen its running game revived with Williams and rookie Stewart, the Panthers have had much success through the air and that’ll continue for Smith in this lower scoring affair. Look for him to put up 70 yards and a TD.

2. Vincent Jackson vs. New England. Although the Bolts are playing poorly right now, their problem has primarily been on the ground, and creating holes for Tomlinson, but I think this week, even if it’s just for a week, it all comes together. The hated rival Patriots come to town in a game with much less significance than the past two playoff losses, and with a much different look now that Brady is out for the year. I think the Chargers will show no mercy in this one if they get a lead and into a groove and with the Patriots focusing on containing Ladainian, I think Rivers will have a lot of success through the air. New England’s also without the services of Asante Samuel who left for Philly and have been vulnerable to the pass (58-year old Isaac Bruce score two TDs on them), so look for a strong day out of Jackson.