Fantasy Football 2017 - Week 13 Matchups, In-or-Out, Hairy Friday

you know, because it's against the Houston Texans, I would usually say that you can still start DeMarco Murray in, you know, in just about every matchup. But the Houston Texans, their third best on the season six best over the last six weeks against the running back. So I would say Delaney Walker is the only one that is a surefire. If you have them, you're going to start him. Now, that being said,

DeMarco Murray is so involved in the passing game that if you are in a half-point or full-point league, I would still say, despite the tough matchup against Houston, I'm willing to throw him out there because he always has, just like last week, the chance of touchdowns and he'll have a safe floor with the receptions. But I don't think you can expect any, you know, a couple weeks ago his big 30-point game. That's not happening against Houston.

All right, let's move on. Let's talk Browns and Chargers. The Browns still fighting for that first win. They're 0 and 11. They take on the Chargers who are almost two touchdown favorites at home. Chargers are on fire right now. Chargers are on fire. Their defense is on fire. Absolutely. No, they're playing great. I mean, they started the year at what, 0 and 4? Mm-hmm. And now you're looking at Philip Rivers coming off a 400-plus-yard game. He's averaged 300 and, I'm sorry, Rivers or Allen.

Keenan Allen has 379 receiving yards since week 9. If you listen to Philip Rivers talk about their situation, Philip Rivers likens it to win Allen got off to that super hot start before the injury. He said they're back on that level. And he even said, hey, maybe it's not sustainable. But right now, he's playing at that level. Keenan Allen is. Whenever you have a quarterback that has an elite wide receiver playing at that level, all the fantasy points, they rise together.

Kenan Allen is a must start. Philip Rivers, a must start in this game. Melvin Gordon, a must start in this game. Hunter Henry? Yeah, Hunter Henry, to me, is also a must start because the Cleveland Browns are notoriously bad against the tight end. I believe they've given up a touchdown in their last.

four games and in the majority of their games on the season. So Philip Rivers, who has not only a knack, but has records for throwing touchdowns to the tight end position with Hunter Henry. This is just a prime matchup. He was my start of the week. You can't always bank on the goose. That's why he's nicknamed the goose. But this is one of those matchups where I think you pretty much are going to start all of those.

aforementioned Chargers against Cleveland there in Los Angeles should be a great game for the Chargers. Yeah, one of the keys there. Philip Rivers only sacked one time since week night. It's helpful. Yeah, it makes it easier. And he's throwing the ball a lot. So that's impressive for that offensive line. Now the Browns, on the brown side of the ball, I like Isaiah Crowell. Look, there is a giant gaping hole in the Chargers defense. You said how well they're playing.

The hole has been in the running game. They're giving up 25.4 fantasy points per game over the last six weeks, the running back position. I think Isaiah Crowell can capitalize on that opportunity. And so he's the one player. Now, I'm more excited to watch Josh Gordon return. Everything that Hugh Jackson seems to indicate is that they're going to put him out there. He's starting. We know that now.

Right. He's starting the game. They're going to give him as much work as possible. I think they're going to force feed him a little bit. I like him more than Cory Coleman. I know I'm in the minority there. You are certainly in the opposite opinion of the other person. Oh, man. What a brutal matchup to bet anything on these wide receivers. But you got it!

Water bet. I want some skin in the game for Josh Gordon this week. Sure. You know, and this is where make your side bets on Josh Gordon. Don't put him in your fantasy lineup this week. I agree with that. Even if he, you might win because he has one catch for eight yards and Corey Coleman gets shut out. I mean, that's the way it looks right now. This is why you're saying, if you're going to bank on someone from the Browns, bank on the running game. And the reason why is because the.

The Chargers are the second best team on the season against tight end. Their third best on wide receivers over the last six weeks and fifth best against quarterbacks. They are a funneling defense that is shutting down the passing game, but they're 30th against the running back. So that is where you want to focus. The only other one that we can't move on before saying start the Chargers defense special teams. They are getting after the quarterback like crazy. Deshaun Kaiser.

his best move in the NFL is holding onto the ball too long. Like that is his forte. That's, you know, he has won awards for just standing there and taking sacks. And he going to take a lot. He's won awards. He is going to take a lot of sacks in this game. So, yeah, I love Cory Coleman and what I've been seeing from him. Definitely would rather bank on him than Josh Gordon. But I don't want either option in this game. I think Duke Johnson is fine. I agree. Isaiah Crowell is fine.

All right, the Panthers and Saints, 8 and 3, 8 and 3, divisional game. Look, it's a 48.5 point, I'm sorry, it's a 48 point over under in New Orleans. Yet both of these defenses have been incredible over the last six weeks and on the season. There aren't really gaping holes in either defense. Latimore should be back out there. At least that's what I'm hoping to see for the Saints secondary. So something's got to give. The last report that I saw was that I believe I thought Latimore was.

more on the doubtful side. So it is worth monitoring. I agree with you, Andy. I've seen a lot of analysts and a lot of articles written up that are really hoping for big offense of things in this game. And everything in my gut says, why? What's going to make you? Look, I realize that the Saints rushing game has been unbelievably good. But they're going up against the fourth hardest to run on team in the league in the Panthers.

And you've got two offenses that aside from that one segment, I don't think either offense has been, you know, blowing down the walls. And both defenses have been stifling. Like the big bad wolf? Like the big bad wolf, huffing and puffing and blowing it down. So this is a, I worry that this could be a trap game. I would love to see. Do you take the under of the 48? I would take the under of the 48. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm still starting Devin S. Funches.

There it is. You got to give me some lead time on that, man. Yeah. I was looking at the... It's a Friday. I could do whatever I want. Do whatever you want. You know, I think I really like Cam Newton in this game. You think you do? You actually are the authority on whether you think that or not. Hold on. Let me check. That's like when the head coach says...

I think that we'd like to get, you know, get this guy some more snaps. You call the plays. So do you believe Cam Newton's a good play or not? I do believe Cam Newton is a good play because of the stupid rule in fantasy where quarterbacks get so many more points for rushing yards than passing yards. Cam Newton has been rushing the ball a ton. I do believe that his finger has caused an issue right now with his passing. But good news.

He's never been a great passer, so he's going to be fine for fantasy. Of course, you're still going to start both Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamer. You can't get off of those guys. So I guess the shade you're throwing on the game from a total point standpoint, is there anybody that impacts in terms of starting? Like Drew Breeze, he's not been that great this year. I think people want to know, do you play Drew Breeze in this game? Yeah, you do. I mean, I guess what the shade that I'm throwing is not, hey, sit these guys. The shade that I'm throwing is.

Take a look at the rest of your roster and pick, if you're playing, you know, Cam and Ingram, or if you're going to be starting Drew Breeze and Christian McCaffrey, I'm saying take a look at the rest of your fantasy roster and maybe make a decision to have bigger play options. Throw Deshawn Jackson in your lineup. Throw those guys because you might need those points to catch up if this is a trap game. Breaking news. I want to report a report.

That's what we do. There's some rumors that Aaron Rogers may begin practicing on Saturday. Yes. Yeah, because I win the chip because my team is so good. Wow. That's how I feel about that. That's how you feel about that report. Sorry, everybody. No, no apology needed. Aaron Rogers is well worth a tune. No, I'm apologizing to the cremudgeons in the car that just went, I hate that guy. Oh.

Well, look, he's not eligible to return until week 15. Let's make that clear. True. He won't be able to play until week 15. But like I said yesterday, on the show, you've got Tampa, Tampa Bay at home for the Packers. Then you have Cleveland. Cleveland has, they got no wins. I will say this from that report, from that report.

The Minnesota Vikings defense, because of some of their schedule, they've been dropped in a good chunk of leagues and people are looking at the playoff schedule. And they go, oh, my goodness, the Minnesota Vikings defense plays Green Bay that championship week. You might be picking them up. If that report is to be believed, then less of a good pickup and maybe look elsewhere. Well, let me say this. First of all, Brooks, you let me down a little bit. You did not switch over to that camera quick enough.

To see that solo song by Jason. I'm sorry. I don't think he or you or even myself knew it was going to last that long. No, nobody knew that. I let the joy flow out of my body, which also means, hey, guys, go look at Jordy Nelson on the waivers as a stash option. If he is going to come back for those playoffs, week 15, week 16. Yeah. Okay. Let's talk about the Rams and the Cardinals. The Rams are 8 and 3. Big win last week.

Head to Arizona taking on the blonde bombshell himself. Blaine Gabbardt, the Cardinals, are seven-point home underdogs. I think a lot of that is on the basis of the last time these two teams met. They had a 40 to nothing shut out in London. I believe it was 33 to nothing. I'm almost positive. All right. You check that because 40 to nothing sounds so much cooler that I'm going to stick with that.

Okay, but if it's inaccurate, you will. If it's inaccurate, I will. 33 to nothing, Jason. Just like I thought. It felt like, it's like the wind chill. It was 33 to nothing felt like 40 to nothing. Fair, fair, just like the wind chill factor. Yes. No, but I mean, they got shellacked. The Arizona offense couldn't do anything in that game. That was a Palmer game. That was.

Was that the game that Palmer got injured and left? Yeah, it was a game in which the... Everything went wrong. Souls of Cardinals fans were injured. It wasn't good. Now, this is interesting because the Rams are coming off a big time win against the New Orleans Saints. But Arizona, they won last week. They beat the Jaguars. And, you know, Larry Fitzgerald, he's not going to face Jay and the Ramsey for a second time. And what do we expect out of, you know,

Fitzgerald, Cooper Cup, both of them are in the top 10 in reception since week 9. Do you start both of those players in this game?

Yeah, you definitely can start either one of those options. Larry Fitzgerald is at home. He's played far better at home. Far better. Now we've seen... Twelve points a game better. Yeah, we've seen a game with Blaine Gabbard to know, okay, he is going to get targeted. He's going to be the number one guy. So you can start Larry Fitzgerald. It's not the best matchup for either team. And you do need to realize that because there was the narrative of...

Patrick Peterson is shutting down the wide receiver one, and Justin Bethel is letting all the other wide receivers go to town. But Justin Bethel got the bench about seven weeks ago, and over the last little while, the last six weeks, the Arizona Cardinals, they're the six best team now against wide receivers. So the Cooper Cup love he's been getting, I think it's, you know, it's warranted without Woods. He has been involved enough. The targets are there.

I'm definitely not saying you have to bench Cooper Cup at all. I love Cooper Cup. We are definitely in opposition on this line. I see Cooper Cup. You don't like the narrative that Cup is going to go ham with Peterson shutting down. I see Cooper Cup this week as one of those wide receiver low end two or three flex area type of guys. And I think a lot of people see Cup as.