Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings

Total: 42.0
Line: MIN by 10.5

QBs
Andy Dalton: After being smothered by the Bears defense at home, Dalton and the Bengals offense will have to go out to Minnesota in order to play against the Vikings defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks this year. They have allowed less than one passing touchdown per game this year, and will be playing to clinch their playoff berth while at home. Oddsmakers have set the Bengals implied team total to just 15.8 points for this game, which is obviously not great. It also doesn’t help that Dalton doesn’t throw the ball much, as he’s yet to top 36 pass attempts this year. The only quarterback who finished with more than 17 fantasy points against them was Kirk Cousins, who ran for two touchdowns against them. Dalton isn’t a recommended fantasy option in fantasy leagues this week, including DFS.

Case Keenum: He’s continued his streamable ways in Week 14, as he’s now finished with at least 17 fantasy points in each of the last six games. Most will see the Bengals and be concerned, but this isn’t the same defense you have known for the last few years. Adam Jones was placed on IR, while Dre Kirkpatrick and Vontaze Burfict are out with concussions. They may make it back for this week, which would impact the matchup, but with Keenum has to at least be considered at home. Knowing that Marvin Lewis is a dead man walking may actually affect the team as well, another thing to consider. If Kirkpatrick and Burfict miss another week, consider Keenum a low-end QB1. If they play, Keenum is a bumped down to a high-end QB2. They have still allowed just one quarterback to throw for more than 290 yards, and that was Aaron Rodgers back in Week 3. Keenum isn’t someone I’d go out of my way to play in DFS, unless those two key pieces are out for the Bengals.

RBs
Joe Mixon and Gio Bernard: It was exactly how we kind of planned it out last week, as Bernard filled in quite nicely as an RB2, but we should be expecting Mixon back this week. We can see the Bengals don’t see Bernard as a workhorse back, as he totaled just 24 carries over the last two games, a number that should have been higher knowing how shallow their depth chart is. If there’s one hole on the Vikings team, it’s their run defense that allowed three rushing touchdowns to Jonathan Stewart last week, though game-script is obviously a concern. Mixon has caught more than three passes just one time all year, so it’s tough to love him if they fall behind. He’s still to be played as a low-end RB2 who should touch the ball at least 15 times. Knowing that there’s been just two running backs to hit the 20-point mark against the Vikings, he’s not a recommended tournament option either. Bernard is only going to have a useable role if Mixon is out for an extended period, so feel free to avoid him in fantasy. If Mixon misses another week, place Bernard into lineups as an RB3, and a borderline RB2 in PPR formats.

Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon: We knew last week was going to be a tough test against the Panthers, but 14 yards on nine carries for Murray? That isn’t the greatest showing as we head into Week 15, the most important week of the year. The Bengals showed serious weaknesses at home against the Bears run-game last week, as they totaled 227 yards on 35 carries (6.5 YPC) with two touchdowns. They have now allowed a league-leading 15 running backs to finish as top-24 options against them, including seven running backs to reach double-digits (in PPR formats) in their last four games. If Vontaze Burfict misses another week, consider both of them top-24 options this week. If Burfict plays, it knocks both of them back into the high-end RB3 territory. Murray is the one who’ll get goal-line opportunities, so he’s the one I’d prefer between the two. If you’re playing in a tournament, McKinnon is likely the better option because of what he offers through the air. Murray needs 100-plus yards and multiple touchdowns to crush value because he doesn’t catch many passes.

WRs
A.J. Green: All week there are going to be questions about Green and whether or not he’s playable against Xavier Rhodes. Let’s be clear about something. While Rhodes is easily one of the most talented cornerbacks in football, Green is an even better wide receiver, giving him the edge in 50/50 matchups. Dalton has now targeted him at least seven times in each of the last five games, and is his go-to target when he’s under duress. Knowing the Vikings sack opposing quarterbacks on 8.3 percent of dropbacks while at home, Dalton is going to be under duress quite a bit. Green is one of those guys you’ll never catch me benching. Maybe think of him as more of a high-end WR2 to make yourself feel better? After all, we know that Rhodes isn’t Superman after allowing three touchdowns over the last three weeks. Green is not a recommended DFS option this week, though.

Brandon LaFell: He’s not someone who I’d consider playing in fantasy leagues this week, even if Green is shadowed by Rhodes. He’s totaled 44 yards or less in all but two games this year, so why trust him against a team that ranks in the top-10 against fantasy wide receivers? Don’t do it.

Adam Thielen: After dropping two touchdowns early in the game last week, Thielen made it up to fantasy owners when he broke loose on a 52-yard touchdown later in the game. He’s now finished with at least 89 yards in five of his last six games, and six of his last eight. He’s the target king in Minnesota, as he’s now seen exactly 50 more targets than his teammate Diggs. Outside of Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins, there isn’t a wide receiver with more yardage than Thielen. The Bengals are going to be stuck with a mixture of cornerbacks on him in coverage, as losing Adam Jones was big. If you were able to see what Kendall Wright did to him last week, you already understand. If Dre Kirkpatrick can make it back this week, it would kick Darqueze Dennard into the slot once again. He’s been better than he was last year, but there is a ceiling to be had with Thielen. If Kirkpatrick is out, Thielen is a rock-solid WR1. If he plays, consider Thielen a high-end WR2. Whatever the case, you’re playing him in your season-long league. He’s able to be used in both cash and tournament lineups.

Stefon Diggs: As mentioned in the Thielen paragraph, Diggs has now seen 50 fewer targets than him on the year. Last week was the first time he’s seen more than seven targets since Week 3 when he blew up the Buccaneers secondary. He’s an uber-talented player who deserves to be a focal point, but with the way Thielen is playing, he’s taking a backseat to him. He’s been a bit volatile the last two months and has been tough to predict due to the lower target share. He’s going to see a lot of William Jackson this week, one of the up-and-coming cornerbacks in the league, though he’s a bigger, physical cornerback who may struggle with the slippery Diggs. Still, he’s not a matchup that you must attack if you’re Keenum, so Diggs remains just a WR3, even though his talent is much more than that. He’s someone to consider in tournaments, but that’s about it.

TEs
Tyler Kroft: Somewhere along the line, Dalton decided to stop targeting Kroft, and I’m not really sure why. Over the last four games, he’s seen just 10 targets in all the games combined and has failed to top 30 yards since way back in Week 9. The Vikings have allowed just two tight ends to top 39 yards against them this year, and one of them had to see 11 targets in order to make that happen. They’ve also allowed just three touchdowns to tight ends, meaning Kroft is far off the streaming conversation.

Kyle Rudolph: Even though his targets have fallen quite a bit, Rudolph now has four touchdowns in his last three games. He went from averaging 7.7 targets from Week 5-11, to averaging just 4.7 targets over the last three weeks. When you’re sharing the middle of the field with Thielen, it’s easy for a defense to forget about you. He’s still yet to top 63 yards all season, which makes him extremely touchdown-dependent, and that’s a scary thing against the Bengals. They have allowed just three touchdowns to them this season, though one was last week to Adam Shaheen without Burfict on the field. If he misses another week, Rudolph gets an upgrade, but still, he’s just a low-end TE1 this week and not one to use in cash-games. Knowing his touchdown ability, he’s always in play for tournaments.

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns

Total: 40.0
Line: BAL by 7.0

QBs
Joe Flacco: It’s not the most ideal scenario for your fantasy team, but you may be looking for a replacement for Carson Wentz, and Flacco isn’t the worst solution. Ever since he came out and complained about the offense not opening up after Week 12, he’s thrown for 269 yards and two touchdowns in each of the last two weeks. They’ve been his two best fantasy games of the year. His No. 3 performance? Against the Browns in Week 2 when he threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns. The Browns are coming off a game they allowed Brett ‘bleepin’ Hundley throw for 265 yards and three touchdowns. They’ve now allowed 10-of-13 quarterbacks to score multiple touchdowns against them this year, which is similar to the way it was in 2016 as well. I’m not willing to start Flacco over proven commodities who have been doing it throughout the year, but you may be in a tough spot without Wentz or Josh McCown. The concern is that their run-game is playing phenomenal, which could allow them to sit back on the ball to get the win. He should be considered a high-end QB2 in season-long leagues. As for DFS, you can do better in cash-games than Flacco, and he doesn’t have the upside for tournaments.

DeShone Kizer: I was here last week telling you that Kizer was startable, and even put my reputation on it with Andy Behrens from Yahoo! Sports on our podcast. He loved Kizer as well, though he wasn’t willing to put it in his Yahoo article. I win. Love you, Andy. Despite what happened against the Steelers last week, you don’t want to trust Kizer in the matchup against the Ravens. They have lost a big part of their secondary (Jimmy Smith), but I just don’t think many teams can hang with Ben Roethlisberger at home. And I do think that Kizer can still put up solid fantasy numbers, as it’s unlikely they’ll be able to run the ball against the Ravens, but it never feels great to start a quarterback with the talent-level of Kizer. He’s now totaled at least 13.2 fantasy points in five of his last six games, with the only game he didn’t coming against the Jaguars. It just goes to show that fantasy is a different game we’re playing. Kizer is most definitely playable in 2QB leagues, though I’d prefer not to trust him in 1QB leagues. He’s not a cash-game play, but you can consider him for tournaments with his rushing upside.

RBs
Alex Collins, Javorius Allen, and Danny Woodhead: How crazy is it that this backfield is producing fantasy points? Not only did they lose Kenneth Dixon in the preseason, but they also lost his backup Terrance West for an extended period, and lost their best run-blocking offensive lineman in Marshal Yanda. But while watching Collins barrel over defenders has been a treat, and he’s a player I’m very comfortable playing down the stretch. While the Browns are a better run defense than anyone expected, they have shown signs of weakness over the last five games. They’ve allowed a top-20 running back in each of the five games, including two top-five performances to Joe Mixon and Jamaal Williams. Collins needs to be in lineups as an RB2 and one who can be considered in cash lineups. As for Allen and Woodhead, this isn’t a game that should favor their skill-sets, as the Ravens should be in control and lean on Collins. Of course, there are times like last week where Allen gets a lucky touchdown, but it’s not even close to something you’d want to predict again. They’re best left on fantasy benches.

Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson: It’s fair to say that this doesn’t feel like a Crowell game, as the Ravens have allowed just 3.7 yards per carry to opponents while at home this year, a number that only gets better if we remove the games they were without Brandon Williams, their cog in the middle of the defensive line. The last two games they’ve played against Crowell, he’s totaled just 37 yards on 10 carries, and then 23 yards on nine carries. He’s just a low-upside RB3/RB4 this week and not one that I’d want to play. Johnson was able to put up 80 total yards against them in their Week 2 meeting, but his touches have been so hard to come by, it’s hard to trust him as anything more than a RB3 whose ceiling is limited in standard leagues, but is raised a tad in PPR. The Ravens have allowed Theo Riddick and Le’Veon Bell combine for 14 catches, 118 yards, and a touchdown through the air the last two weeks. You have to at least think that the game-script falls in Johnson’s favor this week.

WRs
Mike Wallace: He’s been getting more and more involved in the offense, and largely out of necessity, as Maclin has been absent, and Breshad Perriman has been inactive. He’s now totaled at least 48 yards in each of the last four games, which is quite the accomplishment since he had just two such games through the first nine weeks. The Browns have been using Jason McCourty in shadow coverage this year, but he’s been struggling the last few weeks, allowing Keenan Allen to go for 10/105/1 and then Davante Adams to go for 10/84/2 last week. Those two are on a different level than Wallace at this point in their careers, but it is reassuring to know that McCourty isn’t the second-coming of Patrick Peterson. With the way the offense has been changing, Wallace should be in the high-floor WR4 conversation as someone who can be played if you’re thin at the position.

Jeremy Maclin: He looked like someone who didn’t want to be out there against the Steelers last week, seeing a season-high 11 targets, but catching just three of them for 27 yards. There was actually a point in the game where Maclin looked like he was knocked out, but was able to continue playing. Odd stuff. He’s now failed to top 41 yards in each of the last four games, and that’s despite having some great matchups. Since the start of Week 2, he’s never seen less than five targets, which keeps us interested, but he’s simply not playing well over the last three weeks, catching just eight of his last 24 targets. He’s just a risky WR4 in season-long leagues despite the great matchup. He totaled 4/31/1 against them in their Week 2 matchup, but he’s kind of downhill since then, while Wallace continues to earn more looks. If you’re playing Maclin, you’re relying on a touchdown, which is something the Browns have allowed 13 of to wide receivers this year. He’s not in play for DFS this week.

Josh Gordon: After racking up three catches for 69 yards and a touchdown in the first half, Gordon failed to catch a pass in the second half of last week’s game when Kizer took a turn for the worse. That’s always going to be a risk when playing a wide receiver tied to a bad quarterback, but Gordon’s talent is hard to ignore. The Ravens are coming off a game in which they allowed Ben Roethlisberger to throw for over 500 yards, which is life without Jimmy Smith, their top cornerback. Instead, they have rookie Marlon Humphrey out there alongside veteran Brandon Carr. Both of them were burned repeatedly by Antonio Brown last week, though to be fair, who isn’t. Whatever the case, Gordon will see Humphrey and Maurice Canady in coverage a majority of the time, and they’re nothing to run from. Gordon should be in lineups as a high-reward WR3 this week. You don’t have to play him in cash, as his salary has jumped to arguably higher than it should be, though he should be in some tournament lineups.

Corey Coleman: I created a DFS lineup last week with Kizer, Gordon, and Coleman last week, thinking it may pay off. They all had solid games, but the second-half crash from Kizer destroyed what could have been a great week. Coleman saw six targets in that game, the same as Gordon, so it’s not as if he went away when Gordon returned to the lineup. The last time they played against the Ravens, Coleman totaled just one catch for nine yards on seven targets, but that was also with Jimmy Smith is coverage. Again, this Ravens team is a lot different without him, though Coleman will see a lot or Brandon Carr, who is their second-best at the position. Coleman has the look of a risk/reward WR4 who can pay off with one big play, something he hasn’t done much of this year, as just one of his 20 receptions has gone for more than 23 yards.

TEs
Ben Watson: Now that he’s playing the Browns, we have to at least consider Watson as a streaming option. You would think he did well in a 38-point outburst against the Steelers last week, but nope, he saw just one target and didn’t catch it. He’s failed to top 43 yards in each of the last 11 games, but does that matter against the Browns? It didn’t the first time they played, as Watson racked up season-highs in receptions (8) and yards (91). On the year, the Browns have allowed 11-of-13 tight ends finish inside of the top-15 tight ends, which has included nine touchdowns, which is the second-most right behind the Giants. Because of that, Watson sits on the TE1/TE2 border and one that you can stream. He’s going to be someone I consider for both tournaments and cash this week.

David Njoku: So much for all they hype surrounding Njoku last week, eh? You were warned that Seth DeValve was getting just as much play this year, and he actually out-produced Njoku in Week 14. The Packers had been great against tight ends, so we weren’t expecting much anyways. The Ravens have been a team who has struggled against tight ends, though they haven’t seen many targets on the year. You saw Jesse James rack up 10 catches for 97 yards against them last week, so we know that literally anything is possible. Consider Njoku a high-risk/high-reward TE2 this week. Don’t play him in your DFS cash lineups, but don’t avoid in tournaments, either.

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins

Total: 44.0
Line: WAS by 4.0

QBs
Blaine Gabbert: We’ve kind of been brought back down to earth with Gabbert, as there were some who felt he was a great streaming option in Week 14. It’s hard to trust him in season-long leagues, so if you really want to play him, do so in DFS where you can live to fight another day. It doesn’t help that he just lost his starting left tackle for the season, as Jared Veldheer was placed on season-ending IR. The offensive line isn’t great to begin with, but the Redskins haven’t gotten too much pressure on passers this year. Going to play on the road in Washington, which is across the country, it’ll be tough to say that Gabbert is anything more than a low-end QB2 against a Redskins team that has allowed multiple touchdown passes in five of their last six games, but we can’t overlook the names of the quarterbacks they’ve played. The list includes Russell Wilson, Case Keenum, Drew Brees, Dak Prescott, and Philip Rivers. Let’s be real about this – Gabbert doesn’t belong in that conversation, though it does help that their biggest weakness fits the Cardinals biggest strength – slot receiver. I wouldn’t want to play Gabbert outside of a deep tournament.

Kirk Cousins: The Redskins were a team that looked dead against the Chargers pass-rush last week, as they traveled across the country to play, an often-overlooked variable in performance. They will return home to play against a Cardinals defense that’s allowed 26.5 points per game on the road over the last two years. They have allowed all but three quarterbacks to finish with at least 15 fantasy points against them, and those quarterbacks were: Jacoby Brissett, Brian Hoyer, and Marcus Mariota. Seven quarterbacks have been able to throw multiple touchdowns, and 10-of-13 quarterbacks have rushed for at least 10 yards against them, an underrated portion to Cousins’ game. He’s in play as a low-end QB1 and one that I’d highly-consider for DFS tournaments. Don’t forget that he’s posted 20 or more fantasy points in six of his last 11 games.

RBs
Kerwynn Williams: As of this moment, we might as well assume that Adrian Peterson‘s season is over. If he does play, know that there isn’t a major difference in him and Williams for this matchup. The Redskins are a team you can run the ball on, but there are real concerns about game-script, especially when we’re expecting a big game out of Cousins. Williams has caught exactly seven passes on the entire year, so if the Cardinals should fall behind, your fantasy production goes out the window. He’s totaled 36 carries over the last two weeks, turning them into 170 yards against the Rams and Titans, though he’s failed to score. Knowing that he’s a road underdog, things don’t look great, but hey, he’s a running back who is bound to touch the ball at least 12 times, making him a high-floor RB3/flex-type option. He’s not someone I’d consider in DFS this week.

Samaje Perine: Our worst fears came to light against the Chargers last week, as the Redskins were behind all game, though Perine did tally 21 touches in the game, making him essentially game-script proof. Against the Cardinals, though, it’ll be tough. Despite all of their deficiencies, they have been one of the toughest run defenses in the league, allowing just 3.42 yards per carry on the year with just seven touchdowns on the ground. They have actually held each of their last six opponents to 3.9 yards per carry or less. There’s a reason there’s been just nine running backs who have finished inside the top-24 against them, which is among the best in the league. Perine is a home favorite, which is the recipe we usually look for in successful running backs, so feel free to start him as a high-floor low-end RB2, though not one who presents too much upside in this matchup.

WRs
Larry Fitzgerald: It was supposed to be a week where Fitzgerald crushed, but instead, Gabbert happened. That’s the risk of playing wide receivers with subpar quarterbacks, though it’s worked out with Fitz more often than not. You should go right back to him this week, as the Redskins biggest weakness is covering the middle of the field, whether it be slot receivers or tight ends. There have been four wide receivers who have finished with more than 100 yards against them, and three of them have been strictly slot receivers, like Fitzgerald. Kendall Fuller isn’t someone you should be concerned about, as he was benched for poor play last year. Can a player get better? Sure. Can they go from getting benched to covering one of the greatest wide receivers of all-time? Probably not. Fitzgerald is a rock-solid WR2 and one I’d consider in DFS cash-games, though his price has a lot of risk baked into it.

Josh Doctson: This is not a matchup where you’ll want Doctson in your lineup, as he’s about to be shadowed by Patrick Peterson, who is easily a top-three cornerback in the league. On the year, he’s allowed just a 46 percent catch rate in coverage with two touchdowns on 50 targets. Even if Doctson were to go up and over him for a touchdown, which is possible because it’s his best attribute, his absolute upside is likely 50 yards and a touchdown. That’s not worth the risk of him winding up with 30 yards and no touchdown. He’s just a desperation WR4 this week and not one I’d play in DFS.

Jamison Crowder: If you want to play a Redskins receiver, Crowder is the one you want. He’ll be matched up with Tyrann Mathieu in the slot, as he’s simply not the same player he once was. Over the last two years, he’s allowed a 71 percent catch rate in his coverage. While slot cornerbacks typically allow a higher catch rate, that’s higher than most. Crowder has averaged 9.2 targets over his last six games, which would put him in line for six-plus receptions against Mathieu on average, which would put him into WR3 territory, with a bump in PPR formats. He’s someone to consider for cash-games this week and could have tournament upside.

TEs
Ricky Seals-Jones: Has the hype died down yet? He’s maxed out at 18 snaps through the last four games, and was out-produced by Jermaine Gresham last week. He’s now dropped three passes on the season, which is concerning, though this matchup makes us at least consider him. The Redskins have been among the league’s worst defense against tight ends, allowing nine different tight ends to amass 43 or more receiving yards against them, including five with 89 or more yards. They have also allowed a touchdown in each of the last two games to both Jason Witten and Hunter Henry, so they aren’t discriminating to certain player types. Seals-Jones is the hail mary that you can consider if you are a massive underdog and there aren’t any other legitimate options on the waiver wire. He’s the ultimate high-risk/high-reward TE2.

Vernon Davis: It was good to see Davis get back into the end zone last week, as he’d been a major letdown the previous two weeks. Not that he’s totally in the clear, because he’s still failed to record more than three catches since Week 10. The Cardinals have been a defense you can play tight ends against if you know they’re going to get targets. On the year, there have been just five tight ends who’ve seen more than five targets against them, and they averaged 6.2 receptions, 57.0 yards, and 0.8 touchdowns. Davis is on the TE1 radar, as there aren’t many safe plays at the position anymore, so at least we know what he’s capable when he gets the targets. He’s worth a look in DFS tournaments, but I’d likely look elsewhere in cash-games.

Green Bay Packers at Carolina Panthers

Total: 45.0
Line: CAR by 4.5

QBs
Aaron Rodgers: Man, it feels good to put his name in The Primer again. I may be from Chicago and be a Bears fan, but I appreciate watching greatness. The line on this game has been weird, opening up with the Panthers favored by 1.0, but it’s moved to anywhere from Panthers by 3-6 points, so we just went down the middle. It’s odd, because the line was after Rodgers was cleared. I think people forgot what he did for not only the offense, but the defense too. There’ve been just two games in Rodgers’ career where he’s had to return from injury (and one was a collarbone injury), and in those games, he threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns, and then 318 yards and two touchdowns. It’s fair to say that he’s pretty good coming off injury. Reports out of practice were that he’s looked as good as ever for the last two weeks, but that he needed to be cleared for contact. The Panthers were once a good defense, but they’ve struggled as of late. Since Week 9, they’ve played five games, allowing 10 passing touchdowns to the combination of Case Keenum, Drew Brees, Josh McCown, Jay Cutler, and Matt Ryan. We also saw Ryan and McCown surpass 300 yards through the air. When you look at the quarterbacks they’ve slowed down this year, you don’t want to put Rodgers anywhere near them. The only quarterbacks to finish with less than 14.4 fantasy points against them were Brian Hoyer, Tyrod Taylor, Mitch Trubisky, and Jameis Winston. Rodgers must be back in fantasy lineups this week. He makes for an interesting cash-game option because his price is down, but I’d prefer to wait a week if possible.

Cam Newton: He’s gone backwards in terms of his passing lately, finishing with 183 yards or less in five of the last six games, with the only exception being the Dolphins on that primetime game in Week 10. Fortunately, his rushing totals have remained sky-high, as he’s now tallied 44 or more yards in seven of his last eight games, which is the equivalent of a passing touchdown. Did I mention that he rushed for 70 or more yards in four of those games? That’s almost two passing touchdowns. You see where I’m going with this. Newton doesn’t have to be a good passer to net you solid fantasy points. I mean, we just started DeShone Kizer against the Packers and won, so how do you not play Newton? Again, Rodgers being back does help their defense by keeping them off the field and fresh, but they haven’t been very good all season, allowing 9-of-13 quarterbacks to finish with at least 14.9 fantasy points against them. Ben Roethlisberger, Dak Prescott, and Russell Wilson all rushed for at least 25 yards against them, so you know Newton is going to get his there. Interestingly enough, Newton has rushed for 60.8 yards per game while at home, compared to just 31.4 per game on the road. Start him as a high-floor QB1 this week. He’s in-play for both cash and tournaments.

RBs
Jamaal Williams: We were duped last week into believing beat reporters who said that Aaron Jones would get his starting job back. It never made much sense to take the ball out of a running back’s hands who’d been playing phenomenal football recently, but I figured they were more plugged-in than most. It’s good to see the Packers realize how well Williams is playing. The Panthers are no joke against running backs, though, as they’ve yet to allow one to rush for more than 85 yards, and have allowed just four rushing touchdowns outside of the Saints game in Week 13 where they allowed three. The Packers usually pass inside the red zone with Rodgers under center, but maybe they do lean on the run more than they typically would until he knocks the rust off? Williams should start to see more holes open up with Rodgers under center, even if they are playing a good run defense. I’d play him as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 this week. His price is too high for cash this week, especially against the Panthers, but don’t just cross him off for tournaments. Jones is simply a handcuff at this point, it seems.

Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey: After scoring just one touchdown through the first 10 weeks, Stewart has now scored five times in the last three games, including three of them versus a tough Vikings defense last week. The fantasy season wouldn’t have been right without an improbable multi-touchdown game from Stewart (remember his two-touchdown game against the Cardinals last year). It really has been feast or famine, though, as he’s finished with over 100 yards in two of his last three games, but has also finished with 48 yards or less in seven of his last nine games. What I’m saying is that if he doesn’t score, you’re screwed. He’s getting anywhere from 11-17 carries per game, so you have to at least consider him in what could be a high-scoring game. The Packers have allowed three straight teams run for at least 95 yards, though none of them have scored a rushing touchdown. Consider Stewart an RB3 who needs to score. McCaffrey should be listed in the wide receiver column, as we noted last week, that just 43.9 of his 184.8 PPR points have come via running the ball. The Packers did allow Le’Veon Bell to haul in 12 receptions against them in Week 12, so the possibility for a monster game is there. The Packers have allowed the seventh-most receiving yards on the season, at just under 50 yards per game. McCaffrey is an RB2 almost every week, and the Packers do nothing to scare me off him. He’s in-play for cash and tournaments this week.

WRs
Davante Adams: Knowing what life is like without Rodgers may have taught Adams a few things, as I ultimately think he became a better receiver because of it. He’s now totaled 19.2 or more PPR points in four of his last five games, and is on track for his first 1,000-yard season. The Panthers are unlikely to do any shadowing with James Bradberry with Rodgers back, simply because Nelson is an option once again. That means you’ll see Adams in a mix of coverage with Bradberry and Daryl Worley, two underperforming cornerbacks in 2017. Worley has allowed a touchdown in his coverage every 13 targets, while Bradberry has allowed over 650 yards in his coverage, which is the sixth-most in the entire league. Over the last three weeks, they have allowed four different wide receivers to finish as top-12 options against them, and I’m counting on Adams being the next one. He’s a WR1 no matter who is under center at this point.

Jordy Nelson: There isn’t a fantasy player in the world who is as happy as Nelson is, now that Rodgers is back. He went from being the No. 5 wide receiver from Weeks 1-5, to being the No. 87 wide receiver from Weeks 6-14. Josh Gordon scored more in his first two weeks than Nelson scored from Week 6-14. Okay, none of that matters anymore, as Rodgers is back. As mentioned in Adams’ paragraph, the Panthers have started to slip, and even allowed two Jets wide receivers to finish with 100-yard games. I don’t expect Nelson to get there, but he’s got a good shot to find the end zone. Consider him a solid WR2 with upside. He’s more of a tournament play than a cash one, as it’s possible that his skills have diminished at his age, though I believe it was more on the quarterback relationship.

Randall Cobb: We have three Packers wide receivers to consider for fantasy again, though Cobb is the least attractive. Even with Rodgers through the first five games, Cobb failed to finish better than the WR18 in any given week. Still, he did finish as a top-36 option in three of the games, so he was usable. The Panthers have Captain Munnerlyn running out of the slot, who might be playing the best out of their trio, though that’s not sayin much. He’s still allowed a 79 percent catch rate in coverage, so if the gameplan is to go to Cobb, he can post solid numbers, especially in PPR formats. There is risk involved, but Cobb has the looks of an upside WR4 and one that I’d take a few shots on in tournaments.

Devin Funchess: So, I was one of those clamoring for you to draft Funchess this offseason, saying he was very undervalued, but never in my wildest dreams did I think he’d be a high-end WR2. He’s essentially the only wide receiver in the passing game, yet he has now posted solid totals against Xavier Rhodes and Morris Claiborne the last few weeks, overcoming some very tough matchups. He’s now totaled at least 13.6 PPR points in five straight games and now has one of the best matchups on his schedule this year. There has been a lot of chatter out of Damarious Randall and how he “shut down” Josh Gordon. There are a lot of factors that go into why that happened, but most people with a brain understand why. Funchess has overcome a lot of things this year, so I’m not worried about Randall “shadowing” him. He’s allowed a touchdown every 12 targets in coverage and allows 12.9 yards per reception. Play Funchess as a WR2 this week who may see more targets than usual if the Packers put up points on the scoreboard. He’s in play for tournaments this week, though his price is a bit high for cash-games.

TEs
Lance Kendricks: Do we start thinking about the tight end position now that Rodgers is back under center? While Martellus Bennett wasn’t doing much, he was getting targeted a ton. Kendricks is splitting snaps with Richard Rodgers, who has a history with Rodgers, so it’s tough for me to recommend either of them against the Panthers. It’s best to sit tight and wait to find out who his preferred option is, though my guess would be neither with all the wide receivers healthy.

Greg Olsen: As mentioned here last week, Olsen is trying to play a foot injury, similar to Sammy Watkins and Jordan Reed did, two players who struggled to produce through that time. He played 59-of-64 snaps last week, so it would appear he’s as healthy as he’s going to get this year. To see him get just one target is concerning, as is the matchup against the Packers, who have been the best defense in the league when it comes to stopping tight ends, allowing just 40.6 yards per game to them. Olsen is likely better on one foot than most tight ends, so I’ll say he’s a playable high-end TE2, just don’t expect miracles. I’m staying away in DFS, outside of a punt-play in a tournament.