Good Matchups
Chris Johnson, RB, Titans: Johnson had been a non-factor in fantasy the last three weeks. He had just 118 yards rushing and no touchdowns over that stretch. Look for this to change in his next two matchups, as he faces ever fantasy owners' favorite defense, the Lions on Thursdays and then the Browns run defense which is ranked 28th against the run.
Lee Evans, WR, Bills: Evans got back into the 100-yard club last week with his five-catch, 110-yard performance against the Chiefs, and his owners could see more of the same in the next two matchups. The 49ers rank 29th in passing yards allowed and have given up the fourth most passing touchdowns, while the Dolphins are 28th in passing yards allowed. Evans had a seven-catch, 116-yard performance in Week 8 against Miami. Look for Evans' performance against the Chiefs to carry over in these two matchups.
Jay Cutler, QB, Broncos: Early in the season Cutler may have been the league's best fantasy quarterback. Lately, however, Cutler has been a shell of himself, as he has just one touchdown and 210 yards per game in his last two contests. Cutler should be able to get back on track with the Jets and Chiefs coming up. The Jets have been so stout against the run recently that Cutler could be airing it out against the 26th-ranked pass defense early on, while the 27th-ranked Chiefs were burned to the tune of 361 yards in a Week 4. Look for a big improvement from Cutler, especially in the yardage department the next two weeks.
Steve Slaton, RB, Texans: Slaton has struggled a bit lately, with the exception of his game against the Colts, but with two good matchups Slaton could easily get back on track. Slaton had 116 total yards and a touchdown in his first matchup with the Jaguars and then gets the Packers whihc are ranked 26th in the league against the run. Slaton may have hit a wall, but these two matchups should give him a chance to break the wall down.
Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs: Bowe has gotten into the end zone lately, scoring three times in the last two weeks. Bowe has his best matchups of the season facing the Raiders and Broncos pass defenses. While Bowe didn't get into the end zone against either team in his first matchups, he did have 13 catches and 185 yards and figures to improve on those numbers with Tyler Thigpen playing better. Bowe should be a good bet to continue his recent string of good fantasy performances.
Bad Matchups
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Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins: Portis has probably been the best running back in the NFL this season, and while we are not suggesting that you bench him, he does have two very difficult matchups with the Giants and Ravens. The Giants held Portis to 84 yards and no touchdowns in Week 1, while the Ravens rank fourth in the NFL in rush defense. Unless you are really deep at running back, you have to go with Portis. Just don't count on big numbers from one of the NFL's top backs.
Jake Delhomme, QB, Panthers: Delhomme broke out after two tough performances by throwing for 295 yards and a touchdown in the loss at Atlanta. Delhomme has a history of being either really good or really bad, and with the matchups against the Packers in Green Bay and then the tough Buccaneers secondary, bad Jake could be back. Despite the big effort from Drew Brees on Monday night, the Packers are still ranked sixth in the league in yards allowed, and their poor run defense could see the Panthers keep the ball on the ground. The Buccaneers rank second in yards allowed and intercepted Delhomme three times in the Panthers' worst offensive outing of the season in a Week 6 loss.
Santana Moss, WR, Redskins: Most of Moss' damage has come in only three games. With the Giants and Ravens on the schedule, don't expect big games from Moss. Moss did score a touchdown in his first meeting against the Giants but was held to just 37 receiving yards. And the Ravens are ranked third in passing yards allowed and lead the league in interceptions, which could make for a tough day for quarterback Jason Campbell. Moss has just 115 yards in his last three games, and we could see the numbers continue for the foreseeable future.
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Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys: Witten has what looks to be a nice matchup against the Seahawks before a very difficult one against the Steelers. However, Witten is playing with injured ribs and seems to be no more than a decoy as he has caught just four passes in his last four games. The Cowboys air attack should shine on Thanksgiving, but don't make the mistake of thinking that will include the injured Witten. The matchup against the Steelers would present a challenge even for a healthy Witten, so it probably time to bench him until he can produce.
Philadelphia Defense: The once proud Eagles defense has struggled in part because of the struggles on offense. The Eagles, not solely because of the defense, have given up 36 points in two of their last three games. With the high-flying Cardinals offense coming to Philly, followed by a rematch with the Giants, who put up 36 points in Week 10, it could be time to put the Philadelphia defense in a rare place -- on the bench.
Kyle Fisher is a writer for RotoWire. For more information, check out rotowire.com.
