Scott Engel of RotoExperts.com breaks down every game from fantasy perspectives and helps you bring home that Super Bowl championship.
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills
Weather could be an issue, with the possibility of a rain/snow mixture. How strong the wind gusts are will truly determine how much the passing game is affected. Still, Tim Tebow can run the ball well, even if he limits his throws, and should still be started. Demaryius Thomas could be held below 100 receiving yards, but the Broncos should move the ball well enough for Eric Decker to catch a TD. Willis McGahee faces his former team, ranked 29th against the run, and is a very strong start. Ryan Fitzpatrick is experienced in adverse conditions, but the Denver defense is playing too well overall to use him. Stevie Johnson (groin) appears to be safe to start, and C.J. Spiller is a fine flex play.
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Matt Moore is playing with a lot of confidence and is a very good start against the league's worst pass defense. Brandon Marshall is one of the top WR starts of Week 16, as the Patriots seem to have little chance of stopping him. Davone Bess should also get some important looks on key downs and might score. Reggie Bush will get the ball as a pass-catcher in space and is a must-start as a RB2. The Patriots' RB situation should be avoided, but if you are desperate, you can always use BenJarvus Green-Ellis for a short TD run. Tom Brady will be heavily pressured and will try to get rid of the ball quickly. Look for a high percentage, controlled passing game with two TD passes. Wes Welker likely won't explode but could roll up nice PPR numbers, while Rob Gronkowski could get back in the end zone. Aaron Hernandez always has upside for yardage, but do not count on a TD.
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
Seneca Wallace is a competent NFL QB but simply lacks the weaponry to challenge a Ravens defense that will certainly be fuming after last week's fiasco against the Chargers. Peyton Hillis will likely see stacked fronts, and Greg Little is in danger of being shut down. Smart fantasy players will steer clear of any Browns. Ray Rice faces the league's 31st-ranked run defense and could certainly roll up big yardage numbers from scrimmage while finding the end zone. The loss of Anquan Boldin, though, puts a major dent in the Ravens' passing game. Joe Haden can now lock onto Torrey Smith and severely limit his production, and Baltimore lacks any other truly reliable playmakers to challenge the Browns secondary this week. This could be a lower-scoring affair that plays towards the kickers, defenses and Rice for fantasy scoring purposes.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans
The Jaguars passing game looks so inept, the Tennessee defense is a high-quality start. Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the safest plays of Week 16, as he will try to get his 100 rushing yards no matter what, but the Jaguars simply cannot challenge the Titans any other way and probably won't put many points on the board. Blaine Gabbert could turn the ball over more than once. Chris Johnson is expected to play, but with the Jaguars loading the box and an ankle issue possibly curtailing his cutback abilities, you should bench him in a close decision with another player. Jacksonville should bring a lot of heat against the pass to protect its secondary, but Nate Washington could burn them a few times and Damian Williams will have a chance to score.
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs certainly can play solid defense, and Carson Palmer is not the best start this week. The Kansas City secondary will try to disrupt the rhythm of the passing game. Avoid Oakland WRs if you can, but do start Michael Bush, who will work hard for his yardage early and could bust loose later in the game. With lots of quality touches, Bush will eventually find the needed holes. Kyle Orton is already showing he can take what the defense gives him, but he has yet to develop a true rapport with Dwayne Bowe. Sit Bowe, but if you are desperate for TE help, Orton seems to like big target Leonard Pope. No savvy fantasy owner would start a Chiefs RB in their Super Bowl week.
New York Giants at New York Jets
The Giants are banged up at some key offensive spots but still have enough weaponry to aggressively attack the Jets in the air. Eli Manning will likely throw often with lots of yardage and could have at least two TD passes, but might also get intercepted more than once. Darrelle Revis will likely not cover any Giants WR exclusively, so Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz remain top starts. Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) will play but is not at optimum efficiency, so reserve him. Brandon Jacobs is a much better choice. Mark Sanchez will look to attack the Giants' secondary and is a very good starting option if you have been streaming QBs. Santonio Holmes could score yet again, and Plaxico Burress should certainly find the end zone against his former team. He's a nifty flex/WR3 play who could potentially score more than once. Dustin Keller is a decent PPR start, and Shonn Greene must be locked into lineups as a RB2 right now.
Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins
Adrian Peterson wants the ball more, and he should get it this week. Look for Peterson to pile up the touches, study the defense, and then break some long runs in the second half. He is a must-start for your fantasy Super Bowl. The Redskins will certainly try to get after Christian Ponder, and while he could get sacked and harassed, he should also get some timely short-range throws to Percy Harvin, who has a chance to post adequate PPR numbers. Roy Helu is working through toe and knee issues and may be spelled by Evan Royster here and there. A time share is certainly not out of the realm of possibility with Mike Shanahan, so be careful when considering Helu for usage this week. The Redskins are much better off attacking Minnesota's 30th-ranked pass defense, and Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney are very good WR2 and WR3 starts, respectively. Don't get too cute, though, and start Rex Grossman over a usually higher-producing fantasy QB based on the matchup. Grossman can often fizzle when everything seems to be lining up right for him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
LeGarrette Blount is always a risky start, as he could be zapped from the game plan as the Buccaneers are a risk to fall far behind and completely abandon the ground game. Still, facing the Panthers' 25th-ranked run defense, Blount is worth the gamble at RB2 if your other options are highly questionable choices. Kellen Winslow should deliver quality PPR totals again, but do not use any other Buccaneers, especially Mike Williams, who is very unreliable. Carolina should be able to dictate what they want to do offensively, especially in the passing game with Aqib Talib out for Tampa Bay. Steve Smith is a terrific start, and Cam Newton should throw more than one TD pass while also rushing for a score. DeAngelo Williams is a strong candidate to rip off another long TD run against the Buccaneers' 26th-ranked run defense. Lock him in as a flex.
Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals
John Skelton gets the call again for the Cardinals, and while he should obviously not be used as a starter, he can certainly move the offense, making the Bengals defensive unit no sure thing for fantasy purposes. Larry Fitzgerald is a must-start, but most other Cardinals are too risky to use in your fantasy Super Bowl. That includes Beanie Wells, who is dealing with a sore knee and appears to be wearing down late in the season. A.J. Green hopes to work through a shoulder injury and remains a must-start, especially against the Cardinals' highly vulnerable pass defense. Cedric Benson should get into position to score at least once, and should deliver at least 80 rushing yards. Jermaine Gresham is a great bet for a short-yardage TD as the Bengals could move consistently into scoring position.
St. Louis Rams at Pittsburgh Steelers
With Kellen Clemens starting at QB again, you should not use Brandon Lloyd this week. You can rely on Steven Jackson for a lot of quality touches and respectable PPR numbers, as he could be very busy as both a runner and receiver. The Steelers can afford to emphasize the run with Ben Roethlisberger out, as they line up against the NFL's worst run defense. Rashard Mendenhall might score more than once and is a top RB start. Charlie Batch is an experienced and competent NFL QB, so do not assume Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown get a major downgrade this week with Batch starting. Both are still viable WR2 plays.
San Diego Chargers at Detroit Lions
Expect the Chargers to run the ball often to attempt to control the clock as much as possible. Ryan Mathews should provide his owners with very good numbers, and expect Mike Tolbert to cash in on a short TD opportunity. Philip Rivers should have ample time to throw and could connect with Antonio Gates frequently while Malcom Floyd has an opportunity to post quality PPR totals. Vincent Brown is also a good desperation play for some looks downfield. Kevin Smith should give you at least adequate totals against the Chargers' 21st-ranked run defense. Matthew Stafford could fire at will in a very important game for the Lions, and expect more than two TD passes even if he gets intercepted more than once. Calvin Johnson will likely soar past 100 yards, and Nate Burleson could deliver good yardage totals. Titus Young has upside but is too risky to use this week.
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Look for these two teams to trade offensive blows, but Philadelphia might not be quite as prolific as they were in the first meeting this year. LeSean McCoy will have to work hard for his yardage early but could bust loose in the second half and could certainly score again. Michael Vick should throw more than one TD pass and could connect with Brent Celek for one of those scores. Jeremy Maclin is showing signs of regaining his past form and can be used as a WR3, but do not trust DeSean Jackson at all. With a broken down RB crew, Tony Romo might have to throw often. Expect 300-plus yards and two TD passes. Laurent Robinson could score again, so could Dez Bryant, and expect a few big plays from Miles Austin.
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
The 49ers still have a chance at a top playoff seed, and should give Frank Gore a lot of work to attempt to nail down an important victory. Expect Gore to rush for at least 80 yards and a score. Vernon Davis has the ability to give Seattle problems in coverage, and Michael Crabtree should produce quality yardage numbers. The biggest question in this game is whether or not the Niners will be able to fully contain Marshawn Lynch. Playing at home, with a mathematical chance to still make the postseason and in a divisional game, Lynch could overcome the challenge and approach 100 rushing yards with the first TD run that San Francisco allows in 2011. Tarvaris Jackson should make key completions, and Golden Tate is a decent option for a WR3 in larger leagues. Both team defenses should stack up a pretty good amount of sacks and more than one turnover.
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
The Bears might use Kahlil Bell frequently, as the passing game is depleted and devoid of true playmakers. Bell is a good flex start, but the Chicago defense will probably spend too much time on the field allowing the Packers to roll to a big lead. Still, three or so quarters of Green Bay production is better than most teams, and it's difficult to envision top Packers sitting for more than a quarter or so. Keep rolling with Aaron Rodgers, and Jordy Nelson is ready to score another long TD. Of the other WRs, Randall Cobb will show a lot of promise with an impressive performance, and Jermichael Finley could make some significant downfield grabs. The Packers' defense is a nice start against a very depleted Bears offense.
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
Michael Turner should get a lot of work as the Falcons attempt to win the time of possession battle, and expect him to find the end zone. Matt Ryan could keep gunning with a lot of success and is a fine starter for your fantasy Super Bowl. Julio Jones simply can't be benched right now, and Roddy White should continue to make several key grabs and could help boost many fantasy teams to a title. The Saints may not have much success on the ground against Atlanta's fourth-ranked run defense. Darren Sproles is a risky flex start, but Drew Brees should surely enjoy another winning fantasy outing. Marques Colston and Lance Moore are both very attractive options, and Jimmy Graham could outplay Tony Gonzalez, but not by a long distance.
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