Starts of the Week + Week 14 Breakdown, It’s Playoff Time!

which means we're looking at the Packers side and we're saying, yes, they're going to score 28 points. How are they going to do it? You've got dilemmas fantasy-wise with Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams. Jamal Williams is always ranked significantly below Aaron Jones, yet over the last handful of weeks is 15 fantasy points a game. Aaron Jones has had one good performance in the last four. Otherwise, he's been outside the top 40. So you haven't been able to lean on him.

Can you lean on him in this matchup against a not terrible but below average running defense in Washington? Yeah, I mean, look, I'm not going to bench a guy who has the upside that Aaron Jones has because there's only a handful of them in the NBA, in the NFL. Aaron Jones has, you know, you talk about, okay, three of the last four have been.

poor, and that's true. But if you look at the season, he's had so many outstanding games. This is a matchup where I understand the Redskins are going to try to slow the game down and make it a lower scoring affair. So I do think some of that upside is cap, but I feel like you should not overreact to some of the poor games. Like last week, if he gets in the, I mean, he got in the end zone and the play was called back.

But if that changes, then this whole narrative evaporates because of one penalty. The guy is still the same guy. So I am trusting Aaron Jones. I do think it's worth mentioning the Jamal Williams side. Mike, you were looking up today the fact that Jamal Williams has been a... Over the last five weeks, Jamal Williams is averaging more points per game than Aaron Jones. As you say, I don't think you can make any argument for starting Aaron Jones that you can't make for starting Jamal Williams since he returned from injury.

Yeah, I mean, they are in a true time share, and Jamal Williams has done whatever it has taken to be a quality asset, whether that's a receiving touchdown or rushing touchdown volume. It's different every game, but he's getting the job done. And I think he's a good flex option, especially in a plus matchup. His interviews are also delightful. If you haven't seen Jamal Williams. Go look up him playing in the rain. Yes. Yeah, just do that. Talking about feeling like SpongeBob and.

But then it snowed and he started to feel like Olaf. He's a delightful man. He just seems very happy. He's a happy dude. Yeah. Aaron Rogers, he is our consensus quarterback one on the week at home against Washington with that implied total. This is game two. Stick with the plan. Don't forget. I don't know if anybody can stick to the plan. We might be prescribing something that no human can do.

If he comes out and puts up a QB1 performance, can you cut him the week after? You have no choice. Oh, man. I don't think you could do it. Play, play cut. We're already in. We're on play two. Yeah, and he's going to kill. He's going to be great. Devante Adams last week, very good. Alan Lizard, would you take a flex shot on him? Probably not. No. So, you know, this game to me is pretty clear cut, right?

Once you're past the Green Bay running backs, Aaron Rogers, Devante Adams are in. I don't want to touch any of the other wide receivers. Outside of Adams. Yes, outside of Adams. And then that's pretty much it for the Packers. And that's pretty much it with one exception. And it's a pretty big one. I would say if you are in a deeper league or you're up against Goliath, I'm fine.

taking the shot and flexing Alan Lazard. This is high variance, not safe at all. But if Aaron Rogers, if we're projecting Aaron Rogers to be the quarterback one, more than just Devante Adams is they're going to do something. You heard it here first. Jamal Williams with two passing. But that's what I mean. Like it's, it's not safe at all. But someone else on this Green Bay Packers offense will do something. Yeah, I don't. So are you starting Jimmy Graham? I'm, if, if you're desperate.

I'm not. And you're in the playoffs and you're not. So on the Washington side, Darius Geis was almost my start of the week. I didn't do it because I totally understand. He's getting 10 carries a game. That's not enough for confidence. But he has looked good. Would you agree with that on his touches? He's looked like the Darius Geis. He looked good on the ground last week. I'll say that. Otherwise, he has not. Is an excellent running back. I still believe that.

But he's not getting enough volume. He looked great against Carolina, which is a plus matchup. That was also coming up. Not on the ground, though. That was the one catch through the air. No, no. That was three weeks ago. Oh, that's the one I was talking about. Yeah. Last week was Carolina. He had the huge run. He had the two rushing touchdowns. But two weeks ago, he also had a plus matchup against Detroit. He had the same 10 carries, had the same two targets.

came away from that game with 38 total yards. Yeah. That's in the range of outcomes. Certainly. That's why I didn't make him my start of the week. But if you're talking about a flex option, you know, he's at home. This is a plus matchup. Green Bay has been very bad against the run. It's in Green Bay. Do you like Adrian Peterson? Because Peterson is getting more carries than him. Same bad Packers defense. No, I don't. I think Peterson is not as explosive today as Darius Geis is.

All right. Well, no Terry McLaurin. I'm sorry. No Dwayne Haskins ever. And the biggest problem there is drives are going to be very short. And that hurts. You know, you need first downs to run on first and second down. And that's my biggest concern. Play the Packers defense. The Lions at 3-8-1 take on the Vikings. Vikings at home and heavy favorites, 13-point favorites.

43.5 point over under, very similar to the previous game, a 28-point implied point total for Minnesota. The lion's just at 15. David Blow, last week, 22 for 38, 280, and 2. Surprised people, no doubt, on Thanksgiving against Chicago, didn't do much once they adjusted. The Vikings coming off the loss, battling for that division. Mike, you have Kurt Cousins as your start of the week. I do. Thank you for spoiling it. Yeah, yeah.

So let's talk about Cousins to start because he's been very consistent at the quarterback position. Yeah, he's been absolutely excellent. He's been in the problem with Kurt Cousins is that you still have the beginning of the season stuck in your head. Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins is now the quarterback nine. And he's been absolutely excellent since week five. He only has two performances outside of the top 10.

and Detroit is a team that I want to take on. So I'm very confident, very comfortable playing Cousins. I am curious about this game because when they played last time, it was a great matchup for both Stafford and Cousins. The Lions could keep up with Minnesota, putting them in the position. Even last week, Cousins' game was saved on coming back from two and a half scores down and doing it at the end of that game. That's my only concern with this one. Now, we don't know whether Dalvin Cook's going to be 100% or even in this game.

I do think you can flex Alexander Madison regardless. I think we can confidently say Dalvin Cook will not be 100%. Sure. It's just what is that percentage actually at? I'm with Andy. I think Madison is an okay flex play that there are so many different variables that could happen. Like Dalvin Cook, number one, best option. He doesn't for Madison. Dalvin Cook doesn't even play. Number two, they just share the time 50-50.

And then the third option, which is also very, very possible, the Vikings get way up on Detroit. They say, Dalvin Cook, you're hurt, go rest. Alexander Madison, get in there and clean up. Yeah, either way. I agree with everything being said. But if Dalvin Cook is active, don't worry. You start him. This is the highest point spread on the week. He's at home. This is as plus a matchup as you get. So, for instance, your example of the Vikings get up and they pull him, sure.

Maybe that you don't get that crazy 38 fantasy points. But the reason they're up enough to pull him is probably Dalvin Cook. And if you listen to Mike Zimmer talk about that, you know, Dalvin Cook's 100% sure he's going to play. Mike Zimmer basically said, well, we'll see. We're not playing a hurt player. That's what he said. So they may have the luxury of not playing Dalvin Cook in this game. You know, you don't take chances with any matchup, really, but they may have that luxury. And it could be a team decision. The Foot Clan would be so happy. To let Alexander Madison run wild.

They will be a little unhappy because Dalvin Cook is not playing. Yeah, but every Footland listener who has Dalvin Cook has Alexander Madison. And they probably want the clarity. Yeah, I mean, if you're in that situation and it's Detroit, I'd rather have Madison alone than have to flex Madison with Cook. Yeah, that's exactly how I am. If you have Dalvin, if you've got Dalvin and somehow you don't have Madison, you need to be preparing for Sunday just in case.

There is. It's not locked in that Daven's going to play. Yeah, we've been here with David Johnson and Chase Edmonds. We had a game where people said, okay, well, I have to start DJ over Chase Edmonds when Edmonds went off for three touchdowns against the Giants. So there's some risk. Adam Thielen, he wouldn't have practiced on Wednesday if they had practiced. I don't see how you possibly play Adam Thielen until he proves it for an entire game. And he's missed seven weeks with the same hamstring.

And now they're saying he wouldn't have practiced. So I don't think he plays. And if he does play, I'm not putting him in my lineup until I see a week. He's not that trustworthy. Do you agree with that? Yes. 100%. Yeah, I tend to agree with that. On the other side of the ball with the Lions wide receivers, the matchup is juicy against the Vikings. They're 28th against fantasy wide receivers. David Blow, he...

Can at least do something. So are you playing both Goladay and Marvin Jones, or is it just Goladay, but we're both in Marvin Jones, the flex play? I'd play them both. Okay. Yeah, the one thing that you've seen, even though you've had multiple backups now in Detroit, is that they are willing to throw the ball and air it out. Yeah. Yeah, it's basically a situation where they, you talk about game script, if they're down.

garbage time could be all you need for Gulladay and Marvin Jones to get you enough production. It's just really hard to sit them. A lot of people sat Kenny Gulladay last week, lost their matchups because of it. Even though on paper it seemed like a bad decision to start him, he's a really talented player. He can beat any defensive coverage and certainly Xavier Rhodes and company. So.

Man, he's been bad. Now, Bo Scarborough. Yeah, I wasn't going to let us move on without talking about him. His first start, 55 and a touchdown, 98 rushing yards, 83 rushing yards. The dude's getting it done. I like him more than Geiser Peterson this week. I tend to agree with that, yeah. No. Yeah. You would make me Geis v. Boe. If you give me 20 Boas Scarborough carries versus 10 Darius Geiskeyes carries this week, I'll take Bose.

And that's what I would project. Okay, well, let's do a Betzky there. Oh, fine. Just guys free, Beau Scarborough. You too? Yeah, I'm in. Great. Water bet. By the way, that was U-T-O-O. You also? Yes. Yeah, me and you versus Jason. That's fine. Kyle Rudolph, touchdown in four straight games, the last other player I wanted to mention. If they lines out, Rudolph is in. Yeah. That's the way to look at it. And, you know, look, the Vikings, I know they just got.

torched on the ground by the Seahawks, both running backs being great. Outside of that, it's been a long time since they've given up a good ground game. I just don't think that Bo Scarborough is going to be the one. You know, he's just, he's no Chris Carson. No, he's not great, but he will get the volume. Yeah. All right. Well, before we get into our next matchup, I want to think. The next matchup? The next matchup? The next matchup. All right. Yeah.

That works. No, of course it does. What I was trying to do, Jason, was give you a moment to clear your throat. I did. Before you did the read. So I was trying to interject for a split second to buy you a second to clear your throat. So no one had to suffer. But now you've called me out on it like I was insulting you. You peeled the curtain back. Yeah. But we do want to thank Warby Parker, who I have personally used before Warby Parker was founded with the goal to create boutique quality eyewear.

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