Week 16 Matchups + Injury Concerns, Big Play Big Day

the goal line, you know, the important passing down. He's the best pass catching running back and the best between the tackles running back on the team. Yeah, it's not close. Not even close, no. And so, yeah, you're right. That's the only option you're really looking at in this matchup. With Juju coming back, it devalues James Washington as a dart throw, Deontay Johnson as a dart throw, and puts you squarely on the shoulders of Connor, who we have outside the, you know, top 12, but as a running back two this week. I have him ahead.

One spot over the running back on the other side of the field. Levy on Bell, who has had enough volume to be a fine running back two most weeks for fantasy football. He's not what you drafted, but he's also not the worst. But this is a terrible matchup. And so Lev Bell, the last two times we've seen him, he has not been a running back two. He's the running back 28 and the running back 32. This is a horrific matchup.

Are you scared to start him or are you just starting him with low expectations? Yeah, I think I have a little bit of apprehension but know that the volume will be there. And if you give him enough volume, you could be on that. He's in the start worthy category, RB2 Flex category. Devlin Hodges had four picks last week. Darnold's been playing poorly.

Whatever quarterback turns the ball over less, wins the game maybe. I don't know. Yeah, that's true. Are you going to start any of the receiving options? Robbie Anderson. James Hey, Crowder. Oh, you had such a big game. I'm out. I'm OU.T. Yeah, I'm not. This is not what I want for my title game. I've made that decision in my CBS championship. I'm moving on from Robbie Anderson, and I'm, you know, playing John Ross.

John Ross over Robbie Anderson. I think I am. I think you just said it all right there. Do not play Robbie Anderson. Saying that out loud makes me feel dumb. It makes me feel dumb. Makes you sound a little dumb, to be honest. It makes me sound dumb. Yeah, because you just said you're playing John Ross. That's right. You're going with the gut. I am going with the mentality that I don't win based on the past. I win based on this week. And this is a terrible matchup for Robbie Anderson, a terrible matchup for James and Crowder. I'm not leaning on.

that situation. I trust that John Roswell have more opportunity against Miami. One of those guys... I can't believe I'm doing that. One of these guys... Just saying it, Brooks. Yeah. Probably gets a touchdown here because I think Sam Darnold throws a touchdown. And so it more than likely goes to one of these two guys. Okay. You have no idea who. And without it, it's a bad day. It's a terrible day for whoever doesn't get a touchdown. So, yeah, I mean, basically start James Connor, start Love Bell, RB2s.

Moving on. Ravens 12 and 2, Brown 6 and 8. The Ravens are 10-point favorites. It's a 49 point over under. Part of the discussion this week has been the fact that if the bills beat the Patriots, the Ravens lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs, which could affect their willingness to stretch the players out for the duration of this game. Maybe, you know, I think a good situation to illustrate that might be Gus Edwards takes just as many carries as Mark Ingram in this game or something of that extent.

The other side of the coin is the Patriots are favored to win on Saturday. And this is a divisional game against one of the teams, one of the two teams that have defeated the Ravens. The Ravens are heavy favorites. And they smash everybody. And you want a part of the smash. Yeah. As of now, while you need to be prepared for some kind of weird, bizarre, shocking, they're not going to play Lamar, which we don't expect to happen. Be prepared, but...

operate as if you're getting these great players because you probably are. Yeah, absolutely. What are the other big question marks for you in this ballgame? You have, you know, Nick Chubb, you're a little bit concerned because anytime you play the Ravens, you worry about the ceiling not being very high, but Nick Chubb just, he's a very good player, and he can be stifled for three quarters of the game and bust off a 50-yard run. He's done it over and over again. He had a bunch of chunk plays last week.

against Arizona in a game that they were destroyed in. So you're not benching Nick Chub. No, no, you're certainly not benching Nick Chub. He's been a rock star that's gotten you to the playoffs. He's had a couple disappointing games. He certainly hasn't been the player prior to Hunt coming into the lineup. You've got, you know, he was like the running back three or four. Now he's over the last eight weeks been the running back seven.

he's still good. Yeah, Lamar Jackson, you're playing him. You're playing him if he's active under any circumstance from the night before. So if I heard John Harbaugh come out and say, yeah, I'm glad we clinch this. You know, go bills. We may give him a few plays off today. I'm playing Lamar Jackson. Yes, 100%. Because I only need a few plays. Unless they, if he gets a half, a half of Lamar Jackson. That's fine.

is probably better than whatever other option you could possibly have. He's playing so well that they bench him every game anyway. Exactly. He doesn't score much in the fourth quarter of any of his games, and he's averaging like eight or nine more points per game than the number two quarterback James Winston over the last half of the year. But 39% of you know that. That would be the 39% of championship game.

commissioners or players that have them on the roster. The top five players, as tweeted by Michael Fabiano, Christian McCaffrey at 49% of championship teams. The Patriots D on 42%. Oh my goodness. Mike's not here, but Darren Waller on 41% of teams, Lamar Jackson on 39%. And Austin Echler, who Mike called before the season to be a top 10 running back.

on 32% of teams. Mark Ingram, you're going to play him. What do you do with Hollywood Brown? Saw some flashes last week, but you haven't had yardage to back it up, so he's got to get it in the end zone, but that's a decent probability with Lamar Jackson against Cleveland. I actually like Hollywood Brown quite a bit in this matchup. You know, you've got a revenge game narrative here. This is one of only two teams that have beat the Ravens. The

Excellent. You had the stretch in the middle of the year where he was so banged up. He would play a few snaps and still be okay because he'd catch a long bomb. But he looks like he's recovered now. And unless, you know, especially if the Patriots win and there's something to play for in this game, I like Hollywood quite a bit. I don't think the Brown's secondary can stop a guy with that speed. Would you play Hollywood Brown over somebody like Sterling Shepard playing the roulette with Daniel Jones in New York? I would. Trusting Lamar a little bit more.

I would personally play him over John Ross. Yeah. Well, I don't have that option. No, no, I know. But you're just throwing out that they're both speedy guys with decent matchups, but one's got Lamar Jackson. And one's the number one on the team. Tyler Boyd is my start of the week. So I like Boyd more, obviously, than Ross. But desperate times, Jason. I know. Desperate Championship times.

Looking at the other side, Kareem Hunt, is he a flex play to you? Oh, absolutely. Kareem Hunt, since he got back in week 10, is the running back 15. Would you rather flex Kareem Hunt or Odell Beckham, Jr.? Karim Hunt, and it's not close. All right. Jarvis Landry, congratulations. You get to face pro bowler, Marlon Humphrey. Odell Beckham, you get to face pro bowler. Marcus Peters. Congratulations. I'm so happy that the industry is finally...

caught up with odal beckham being bad like every week i have to move him down like 10 spots from you know where where most people are and this week he's by default in the low 30s that's where you should be yeah nice nice in week 16 to catch up yeah um that that's about it for the matchup you're playing mark andrews want to take a moment thank today's sponsor this holiday season you got to immerse yourself in those holiday classics with a new home theater system from sonos

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will be a champion. A fantasy football champion in three days. I'm calling it now. Yes, you. You're like, wait, me? Yes, you. You're going to be a champ in three days. And you need to go to fantasychamps.com. But Jason. Yes, voice of public opinion. What if I'm not in the championship game? Well, then upgrade your league. Upgrade your league with an awesome, you know, 19 year perpetual trophy at fantasychamps.com.

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Because it's always the hardship of like which one do I get? How about both? Do I get a trophy? Do I get a bell? Do I get a ring? Get one. Get the ring for free with free ring at checkout. Check it out. Fantasychamps.com. Panthers at 5 and 9 take on the Indianapolis Colts. They're 6 and 8. Both of these teams, disappointing seasons, both with some downward momentum. The Colts are heavy home favorites because Will Greer is getting the start. Six and a half points.

I like them to cover. It's a 46 point over under. Jason, you've brought up Marlon Mack's name and your confidence in Marlon Mac, and it's been necessary because I had to hear you talk about it, not just on yesterday's show, but I had to hear you talk about it on the Sirius X-Im show again before it got me, before you got to me. You broke through my icy heart this holiday season about Marlon Mac because it's been bad. It's been so, it's been a while since he's helped you.

It's been terrible. And I know, I know for effect, in fact, one of our writers, Lauren Carpenter, right now in her championship matchup, she has Marlon Mack on the bench. And I'm, you know, and she's going with her gut. Call out right now. Oh, yeah. Because look, Marlon Mack is, he's a home favorite by a large margin against the worst rushing defense in the league. It is a recipe for success for Marlon Mack. That's why he's my start of the week. You know, the only.

possible scary situation here. I did hear Frank Reich say that they're going to try some new things now that they're out of the playoffs with Jacoby Brissette. That's it. Hey, maybe one of those things is they're going to throw the ball to Marlon Mac a little bit more. I thought maybe Brissette would try left-handed. It wouldn't be worse than last week. Here's the thing, though. I like the matchup, but you need something to insure the game script, right? Will Greer. Insures it.

Yeah. Bring him into the picture. You know, both of these teams thought they'd be divisional contenders. The Colts have lost four in a row. The Panthers have lost six in a row. They fired their coach. They're seeing what they got on the bench. Remember the Ryan Finley experiment in Cincinnati? They wanted to see what they had. Yes. And maybe Will Greer will surprise, but I'm not betting on it. His best feature is simply being named like my favorite cheese. Is that your favorite cheese? Oh. Are you talking about...

Greer? Greer cheese. I don't even know if I can say it. Nobody knows how to see it. That's why it's so special. Will Greer? Yes. Does Greer cheese stink? Is it one of those stinky cheeses? No, no. It's not too bad. It's just straight up delicious. We'll see if it stinks this week. Yeah. Jacoby Brissette did not play well last week. These are not options. These are not quarterback options worth talking about. No, but the wide receivers for both teams are the big question marks. T.Y. Hilton, he 52% of the snaps last week.

did not have a good game, very limited. They talked about getting him more involved this week. And then DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel, all three of these guys have quarterback problems right now. DJ Moore has enough volume and he's done, he's had enough production without touchdowns in the past, you know, eight weeks to where you can play DJ more. I am confident in DJ more at this point. T.Y. Hilton, on the other hand, look, I liked the price on Fandual when I was looking for the ballers on a budget segment later.

The question is do you trust T.Y. Hilton? And the answer is, of course not. No. Not in your championship week. Not with an injury hobbling him right now. Not with the snap percentages. Not with Jacoby Burset. Not with Frank Reich trying new things. Look, thing number one should be having a healthy T.Y. Hilton next year, to be honest with you. So outside of DJ more, not a lot of confidence on the wide receiver front.