Wide ReceiversJacoby Ford, Raiders - Three weeks after tying
Tim Brown's Raiders rookie record with 306 all-purpose yards, Ford exploded for a franchise rookie record 329 all-purpose yards against the Dolphins. The rookie is more than just an explosive returner, however. Ford has topped 100 yards in two of his past three games, making circus catches look routine. The Raiders may have finally stumbled on their new Cliff Branch, and they didn't have to use the No. 7 overall pick in the draft to find him. Beat writer Steve Corckran expects a far more productive Ford to take
Darrius Heyward-Bey's starting spot "
as soon as this week."
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Danario Alexander, Rams - Look who's back. Now healthy after a mid-season knee scope, Alexander proved to be the most dynamic threat in the Rams' passing attack in his first game back. Alexander's talent is legitimate enough that the Rams are a far more explosive team when he's in the game. That's the rub, though. Alexander led the team with 95 yards at Denver, but he played only 20 snaps. I'd like to see that number above 30 before I trust him as a weekly fantasy option. For now, he's once again a high-upside stash.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Ben Obomanu, Seahawks - Obomanu has increased his yardage totals in five successive games, the last three as a starter. The former special teamer has emerged as
Matt Hasselbeck's first reliable downfield target since
Nate Burleson left. Obomanu's ability
to be "
sudden in short coverage, get into windows, and use timing to make plays" leaves him as a viable WR3 option for the stretch run. Keep in mind for this week, however, that the Panthers' allow just the 30th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Legedu Naanee, Chargers -
Vincent Jackson's calf injury,
Antonio Gates' early exit, and
Malcom Floyd's hamstring injury left Naanee as
Philip Rivers' top target against the Colts. Not much will change on the injury front this week, so Naanee and
Seyi Ajirotutu have a shot to start against a Raiders pass defense held back by a gimpy
Nnamdi Asomugha.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Davone Bess, Dolphins -
Chad Henne is back! Bess had vanished from the Dolphins' aerial attack in back-to-back games started by
Chad Pennington and
Tyler Thigpen. With Henne's return, Bess posted a season-high 111 yards on six receptions. His three-game TD streak at mid-season was a fluke, however, so he remains a far better option in PPR leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in PPR leagues
Brian Hartline, Dolphins - Hartline took a backseat to
Davone Bess in Week 12, but he still managed to hit 70 yards for the fourth straight game. His role and has been steadily increasing for six weeks, and he remains a good bet for five catches and 75 yards with
Brandon Marshall expected to sit out this week's game against the Browns.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Eddie Royal, Broncos - A viable WR3 option for the first month of the season, Royal failed to top 40 yards between Weeks 5 and 11. He's coming off his highest targets, receptions, and yards since early October, though it's important to note that 57 of his 74 yards last week came on three catches in one garbage-time drive. Royal is worth adding as a WR5 stash in the Broncos' pass-heavy offense, but he's not going to be a weekly starter.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Earl Bennett, Bears - Let's not go crazy after his two-touchdown performance against the Eagles. The two scores bring his career total to five on 86 receptions, and he remains an option only in PPR leagues. Bennett can be picked up to see if his rapport with
Jay Cutler continues to grow, but there's always a risk of a 20-yard dud in a given week.
Recommendation: Worth a look in PPR leagues
Louis Murphy, Raiders - Murphy won't be a starting option this week against the league's best defense and second-best pass defense at San Diego. He's back to full health though, coming off a 73-yard performance against the Dolphins, and facing the Jaguars' leaky secondary in Week 14. Murphy is only a deep-league option at this point.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns - The most talented member of the Browns' passing game has been an afterthought all season, but there have been signs of life the past two weeks. Massaquoi has averaged eight targets the past two weeks after failing top six targets all season. His best chance for downfield production comes with
Jake Delhomme under center, and it looks like the veteran will get the call again in Week 13. Massaquoi is a longshot, but he's worth stashing in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Seyi Ajirotutu,
Golden Tate,
Laurent Robinson"Tutu" is worth a look once again with
Vincent Jackson expected to miss two weeks and
Malcom Floyd's hamstring continuing to hold him back. … Robinson would be a candidate for a late-season breakout if not for the presence of
Danario Alexander.
Cut Bait: Kevin Walter,
Jacoby JonesThe Texans are only throwing to
Andre Johnson,
Arian Foster, and
Joel Dreessen over the past month.
Hold Off Brian Robiskie,
Devery Henderson,
Jordan Shipley,
Jordy Nelson,
David Nelson
Brian Westbrook entered Monday night's game as the 49ers' seventh-leading rusher this year, averaging just one carry every other game. Usage patterns and beat writer suggestions left
Anthony Dixon as the most logical "handcuff" to
Frank Gore in fantasy land. When Gore went down with what turned out to be a fractured right hip, though, coach Mike Singletary felt more comfortable with Westbrook's considerable experience edge on Dixon.
Singletary pulled Westbrook out of mothballs, dusted him off, and allowed him to pick up the ground-game slack on a night when the Niners rushed for more yards (262) than they had in 12 years. For further perspective, It was only the third time in the last 21 years the Cardinals allowed more than 260 rushing yards.
While Westbrook does owe much of his production to his offensive line's dominance of an uninspired Arizona front-seven, the 31-year-old also proved he could run between the tackles as more than just a passing-down specialist. Westbrook made impressive cutbacks and showed off moves that had ESPN's Ron Jaworski bizarrely touting him as a "more explosive" runner than Gore.
CSN Philly's Reuben Frank
penned an informative article, placing Westbrook's 136-yard performance in the context of his storied nine-year career. As an Eagle, Westbrook gained more rushing yards in a game only three times -- against the Dolphins in 2007 (148), the Giants in the 2007 playoffs (141) and against the Falcons in 2008 (167). His 66 rushing yards in the first half were more than he's posted in 21 games going back to the end of the 2008 season. It was also the best rushing performance by a 49ers back since Gore dropped 167 yards on the Cardinals last December.
Let's be clear about the state of Westbrook's career. The Eagles moved on because they couldn't trust Westbrook to hold up over a 16-game season and
LeSean McCoy was ready to take over. Philly did
not close the book on Westbrook because he was no longer effective. On a per-play basis, Westbrook was just as effective in 2009 as he was in an outstanding 2008 season.
Those 136 yards will stand as his season high, but there's no reason to believe he won't approximate Gore's role in the passing game. Considering his concussion woes and lower leg injuries of the past few seasons, the Eagles knew that Westbrook could realistically go down for the season -- and his career -- on any given play. Bottom line: fantasy owners can expect RB2 numbers out of Westbrook for as long as he can stay healthy.
On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players available at each position as we head into Week 13. Full writeups of each player are below.
***
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Running Backs1.
Brian Westbrook2.
Mike Hart3.
Toby Gerhart4.
Maurice Morris5.
James Davis6.
Tashard Choice7.
Anthony Dixon8.
James Starks**
Jonathan Stewart is owned in 70 percent of CBSSports.com leagues. He would be first on this list if available.
Wide Receivers1.
Jacoby Ford2.
Danario Alexander3.
Ben Obomanu4.
Legedu Naanee5.
Eddie Royal6.
Davone Bess7.
Brian Hartline8.
Earl Bennett9.
Louis Murphy10.
Mohamed Massaquoi**
Kenny Britt is owned in 71 percent of CBSSports.com leagues. He would be first on this list if available.
Tight Ends1.
Brent Celek2.
Joel Dreessen3.
Kevin Boss4.
Rob Gronkowski5.
Tony MoeakiQuarterbacks1.
Kerry Collins2.
Matt Hasselbeck3.
Chad Henne4.
Troy Smith5.
Jason Campbell6.
Jake DelhommeDefense/Special Teams1. Chargers
2. Seahawks
3. Dolphins
Running BacksBrian Westbrook, 49ers - Westbrook isn't going to rush for 136 yards against the Packers in Week 13, but it's fair to expect his role to grow in the passing game. The Niners will likely be playing from behind for most of the game, leaving
Anthony Dixon on the bench. Westbrook has a nice matchup in Week 14 against the Seahawks (sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs). It should also be noted that those with Week 17 championships will want to break the bank on Westbrook with a home rematch against the Cardinals (most fantasy points to opposing backs).
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Mike Hart, Colts -
Peyton Manning hinted Sunday night that Week 13 has a been a "mark date" for key injured players to return. Team president Bill Polian doesn't anticipate
Joseph Addai returning this week, though, and it seems that he still hasn't been cleared for contact. With
Donald Brown averaging just 3.25 YPC the past five weeks, the door is once again wide open for Hart to reclaim a major role in the backfield. Hart isn't guaranteed feature-back duties against the Cowboys, but he could have value for the stretch run if Addai's nerve condition doesn't clear up.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Toby Gerhart, Vikings - The rookie has shown marked improvement throughout the season, and his quality play against the Redskins allowed the Vikes the luxury of not rushing
Adrian Peterson (ankle) back into the game. Peterson's injury is believed to be a garden variety sprain, not serious enough to keep him out this week in a dream matchup against the Bills. As
Frank Gore owners can attest, though, Gerhart should be carried as insurance in 12-team leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Maurice Morris, Lions - Let's not go overboard with Morris' two touchdown performance against the Patriots. Morris received just 14 touches compared to 17 for scatback
Aaron Brown, and there's a decent chance that
Jerome Felton will work his way back in at the goal line. Morris won't even be an attractive flex option against the Bears (26th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs) and Packers (29th-most) the next two weeks.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
James Davis, Redskins - Coach Mike Shanahan hinted last week that Davis would see significant work against the Vikings. Though
Keiland Williams started, Davis took over as the early-down back as the game wore on. Though his 11 yards on six carries won't get anyone excited, Davis is worth carrying as the Redskins' potential starter the next two weeks with
Ryan Torain's status up in the air. If Davis can make hay against a Giants defense that was just gashed by the Jags. there's an enticing matchup against the Bucs in Week 14.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Tashard Choice, Cowboys -
Marion Barber (calf) has improved "considerably," but he's still expected to miss this week's game at Indy. Choice immediately stepped into MBIII's role on Thanksgiving, vulturing a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He's a good bet for 8-12 touches this week, and he could establish a firm role with a strong performance against the Colts' pushover run defense.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Anthony Dixon, 49ers - Dixon finished with 54 yards on 14 carries Monday night, mostly because the Niners ran the ball 47 times in a game where they jumped out to a commanding lead.
Brian Westbrook is fully expected to handle feature back duties going forward, but he's a major injury risk over the final five weeks. Those owners in TD-heavy leagues should grab Dixon instead of Westbrook because the rookie will see the ball at the goal line.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
James Starks, Packers - With short-yardage back
Dimitri Nance coming off a concussion, Starks was warned to be ready to play against the Niners this week. Starks' fundamentals remain a work in progress, however, so he's unlikely to see more than a handful of touches barring an injury to
Brandon Jackson.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Derrick Ward,
Jerome Harrison,
Jason Snelling,
Javon Ringer,
Bernard Scott,
Isaac RedmanAs impressive as
Arian Foster has been this season, it's often hard to tell when Ward is in the game because the backup has averaged 6.0 yards per carry. … Harrison and Snelling are must-owns for
LeSean McCoy and
Michael Turner owners in 12-team leagues.
Wide ReceiversJacoby Ford, Raiders - Three weeks after tying
Tim Brown's Raiders rookie record with 306 all-purpose yards, Ford exploded for a franchise rookie record 329 all-purpose yards against the Dolphins. The rookie is more than just an explosive returner, however. Ford has topped 100 yards in two of his past three games, making circus catches look routine. The Raiders may have finally stumbled on their new Cliff Branch, and they didn't have to use the No. 7 overall pick in the draft to find him. Beat writer Steve Corckran expects a far more productive Ford to take
Darrius Heyward-Bey's starting spot "
as soon as this week."
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Danario Alexander, Rams - Look who's back. Now healthy after a mid-season knee scope, Alexander proved to be the most dynamic threat in the Rams' passing attack in his first game back. Alexander's talent is legitimate enough that the Rams are a far more explosive team when he's in the game. That's the rub, though. Alexander led the team with 95 yards at Denver, but he played only 20 snaps. I'd like to see that number above 30 before I trust him as a weekly fantasy option. For now, he's once again a high-upside stash.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Ben Obomanu, Seahawks - Obomanu has increased his yardage totals in five successive games, the last three as a starter. The former special teamer has emerged as
Matt Hasselbeck's first reliable downfield target since
Nate Burleson left. Obomanu's ability
to be "
sudden in short coverage, get into windows, and use timing to make plays" leaves him as a viable WR3 option for the stretch run. Keep in mind for this week, however, that the Panthers' allow just the 30th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Legedu Naanee, Chargers -
Vincent Jackson's calf injury,
Antonio Gates' early exit, and
Malcom Floyd's hamstring injury left Naanee as
Philip Rivers' top target against the Colts. Not much will change on the injury front this week, so Naanee and
Seyi Ajirotutu have a shot to start against a Raiders pass defense held back by a gimpy
Nnamdi Asomugha.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Davone Bess, Dolphins -
Chad Henne is back! Bess had vanished from the Dolphins' aerial attack in back-to-back games started by
Chad Pennington and
Tyler Thigpen. With Henne's return, Bess posted a season-high 111 yards on six receptions. His three-game TD streak at mid-season was a fluke, however, so he remains a far better option in PPR leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in PPR leagues
Brian Hartline, Dolphins - Hartline took a backseat to
Davone Bess in Week 12, but he still managed to hit 70 yards for the fourth straight game. His role and has been steadily increasing for six weeks, and he remains a good bet for five catches and 75 yards with
Brandon Marshall expected to sit out this week's game against the Browns.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Eddie Royal, Broncos - A viable WR3 option for the first month of the season, Royal failed to top 40 yards between Weeks 5 and 11. He's coming off his highest targets, receptions, and yards since early October, though it's important to note that 57 of his 74 yards last week came on three catches in one garbage-time drive. Royal is worth adding as a WR5 stash in the Broncos' pass-heavy offense, but he's not going to be a weekly starter.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Earl Bennett, Bears - Let's not go crazy after his two-touchdown performance against the Eagles. The two scores bring his career total to five on 86 receptions, and he remains an option only in PPR leagues. Bennett can be picked up to see if his rapport with
Jay Cutler continues to grow, but there's always a risk of a 20-yard dud in a given week.
Recommendation: Worth a look in PPR leagues
Louis Murphy, Raiders - Murphy won't be a starting option this week against the league's best defense and second-best pass defense at San Diego. He's back to full health though, coming off a 73-yard performance against the Dolphins, and facing the Jaguars' leaky secondary in Week 14. Murphy is only a deep-league option at this point.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns - The most talented member of the Browns' passing game has been an afterthought all season, but there have been signs of life the past two weeks. Massaquoi has averaged eight targets the past two weeks after failing top six targets all season. His best chance for downfield production comes with
Jake Delhomme under center, and it looks like the veteran will get the call again in Week 13. Massaquoi is a longshot, but he's worth stashing in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Seyi Ajirotutu,
Golden Tate,
Laurent Robinson"Tutu" is worth a look once again with
Vincent Jackson expected to miss two weeks and
Malcom Floyd's hamstring continuing to hold him back. … Robinson would be a candidate for a late-season breakout if not for the presence of
Danario Alexander.
Cut Bait: Kevin Walter,
Jacoby JonesThe Texans are only throwing to
Andre Johnson,
Arian Foster, and
Joel Dreessen over the past month.
Hold Off Brian Robiskie,
Devery Henderson,
Jordan Shipley,
Jordy Nelson,
David NelsonTight EndsBrent Celek, Eagles - Celek has arguably fantasy's biggest disappointment at tight end, but things are looking up for Week 13. His eight targets last week were his most since Week 5, and he came within two
Michael Vick mis-throws of posting three touchdowns against the Bears. It feels like a breakout game is coming Thursday night, and the Texans bring to town the league's softest defense against opposing tight ends. Celek is a top-10 option this week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - Becoming an every-down player the past few weeks, Gronk has been slowly weeding
Aaron Hernandez out of the tight end picture in New England. Gronkowski has been targeted at least five times in three of the past four games, and he's now sitting at 11th in tight end fantasy points this season. Desperate owners can pick him up and hope for a short touchdown.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Joel Dreessen, Texans -
Owen Daniels (hamstring) sat out practice again Monday, suggesting that Dreessen could get the starting nod for another week. Over the past four weeks, Dreessen has averaged 3.5 catches, 53 yards, and 0.5 TDs per game. He travels to Philly this Thursday night to face a defense that allows the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Kevin Boss, Giants - Boss' role was expected to grow with
Steve Smith and
Hakeem Nicks out, and he hasn't disappointed. All three of Boss' TDs have come in the past four weeks, and he's averaging nearly 10 fantasy points per game over that time span. Pick him as a TE2 until Smith and Nicks return.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Tony Moeaki, Chiefs - Moeaki returned from his concussion to post just one catch for a short TD. With tight end options limited, the rookie is worth picking up to see if he can take advantage of upcoming matchups against the Broncos (third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends) and Chargers (sixth-most). The newly explosive Chiefs offense is averaging 30 points per over the past seven weeks.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Hold Off: Billy BajemaBajema is a blocking specialist, playing second fiddle to the underwhelming
Daniel Fells.
Cut Bait: Zach Miller,
Michael HoomanawanuiMiller revealed that he tore the plantar fascia in his foot in addition to a leg contusion so severe that it was originally believed his fibula was fractured. There's a good chance he won't be close to 100 percent again before the end of the season. … Illinois Mike came down with a high ankle sprain for the second time this season.
QuarterbacksKerry Collins, Titans - It's an ugly scene at quarterback on the waiver wire. All reliable QB2 options are already rostered in at least 55-60 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, leaving misfits and discards on the pile. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Collins is "in position" to return as the Week 13 starter against a burnable Jaguars secondary. He may be welcomed back with a parade in Nashville after
Rusty Smith's performance in Houston. Collins has the home rematch against the Texans in Week 15, which could make him relevant during the fantasy playoffs.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks - Who knew that it would be
Ben Obomanu breathing new life into Hasselbeck's fantasy season? Averaging 327 yards and 22 fantasy points over the past three weeks, Hasselbeck heads into a tougher than expected matchup against a Panthers defense that allows just the 26th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Keep mind, also, that while Hasselbeck's yardage numbers have been impressive of late, he's averaging just one touchdown per start -- in the bottom five among all quarterbacks.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Chad Henne, Dolphins - Coming off a knee injury and a Week 10 benching, Henne posted arguably his finest performance of the season at Oakland. While he reclaimed the starting job with authority, let's not forget that he was barely a QB2 option before losing it in the first place. With
Brandon Marshall likely to sit out once again versus the Browns, Henne isn't even a top-20 fantasy play this week.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Troy Smith, 49ers - Through little of his own doing, the Niners picked up their third win in four Smith starts. Troy has earned a longer leash heading into Green Bay for Week 13, he's not going to be ranked in the top-25 among quarterbacks facing a defense that allows the 26th-most fantasy points.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Jason Campbell, Raiders - The starting job is once again Campbell's by default with Bruce Gradskowski (separated shoulder) expected to miss the rest of the season. Campbell isn't even an option in two-quarterback leagues this week against the league's best defense at San Diego. On a positive note, though, the Raiders head to Jacksonville (fourth-most fantasy points against opposing quarterbacks) in Week 14 before returning home to face the Broncos (third-most) in Week 15.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Jake Delhomme, Browns - The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects Delhomme to draw a second straight start with
Colt McCoy nursing a high ankle sprain. Delhomme finished as the 24th best fantasy quarterback in Week 12, and that's as much as owners can expect at Miami this week. Delhomme is only a desperation play in two-quarterback leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Kevin Kolb,
Tony Romo,
Seneca WallaceMichael Vick owners should have Kolb rostered if possible. … Romo is worthy of a stash in leagues with at least 16-deep rosters.
Cut Bait: Derek Anderson,
Rusty SmithI have no problem with Anderson's post-game tirade or beat writer Kent Somers' line of questioning. Blame it on Jon Gruden for making a Matterhorn out of molehill on a two-second clip. Regardless, Anderson is a brutal quarterback, and he's in danger of getting pulled against the Rams in Week 13. … Hopefully for
Chris Johnson owners, Smith will be sent back to the bench this week.
Defense/Special TeamsChargers - The Bolts are coming off two touchdowns, four interceptions, and 18 fantasy points at Indy. Now fifth in D/ST fantasy points and first in total defense, they host
Jason Campbell and a shaky offensive line at San Diego. The Chargers are a top-six option this week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
Seahawks - A Carolina team that has hit 20 points just twice this season travels across the country this week. The Panthers have given up the third most sacks in the NFL, and
Jimmy Clausen owns a 1:5 TD-to-INT ratio in addition to seven fumbles,
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Dolphins - With two interceptions and a fumble,
Jake Delhomme nearly succeeded in giving away last week's game to the Panthers. He's expected to start again this week at Miami, which leaves the Dolphins defense with a good shot at 3-4 turnovers.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
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