All in Sports Fantasy Advice
Week 13 - Football Breakdown and Rankings

It’s the second-to-last or last week of the regular season for Fantasy leagues. Everything is on the line, owners are tense, and hearts will be broken. In my most important league, I need a win to get into the playoffs at 6-6 even with only 20 fewer points than the top-scoring team who is 9-3. That just goes to show, luck is a fickle and cruel mistress.

As we come up on these crucial weeks, several teams are already out of the hunt. The thing not to do as one of these owners is to lose interest or stop caring. As a side note, that is why keeper leagues are a must. It forces owners to pay attention through the end of the year for any possible moves that could affect them long-term.

Think about professional teams. How many times have you heard players say, “We’d love to knock (insert rival’s name) out of the playoffs!” when they're already eliminated? That should be the goals of teams not in the hunt. Make it interesting, have fun with it, and enjoy the role of spoiler.

No one wants to be the guy who was overtaken by a team that would have lost if the opponent had actually tried, just as you would feel the same. So don’t be “that guy.” Don’t take your ball and go home. Throw it deep and play the big risks to make it entertaining for everyone, including you.

Settling Up Week 12

Top Pair (players who guaranteed a good week)

Tom Brady – Going into halftime on Thanksgiving, owners were frustrated and hoping the rest of their team could pick up the slack. Brady had zero TD passes, and it appeared to be a long day for owners. Then, He came out of halftime and scorched the Lions for four TDs and a total of 341 yards. Whew!

Peyton Hillis­ – Okay who is this guy? Seriously. Hillis looks more like a wrestler than a running back, yet he’s now the second leading RB in Fantasy. 131 yards and three TDs marking his fifth straight double-digit performance…wow. He supplanted Arian Foster for breakout Fantasy player of the year (at least we knew who Foster was).

Dwayne Bowe – For a guy who was on Fantasy league trading-blocks early on, he’s now untouchable. In case you didn’t notice, that’s three games in a row with two or more TDs. He has 32 catches, 465 yards and seven TDs in those games. Unbelievable.

River Rat (players who surprised everyone)

Jay Cutler – Mr. Inconsistent frustrates owners yet again. As most had him on the bench this week, Cutler decided to use his talent for good tossing four TDs with no turnovers…that’s right, NONE. Watch him lay an egg in a favorable Detroit matchup just to spite you.

Fred Jackson – No one runs on the Steelers. No one. Well, unless you are Fred Jackson and do so on a screen pass. Jackson totaled just 59 yards (albeit with a great YPC average), but racked up 104 receiving yards with a TD. No one saw that coming.

Jacoby Ford – If Fantasy points were awarded for amazing catches, Ford would lead all receivers. He totaled 108 yards and a TD, which included a reception where he out-jumped and out-played the defender again. Ford is a highlight reel at WR even with is limited reception total.

Gut Shot (players who let everyone down)

Philip Rivers – All you need to know is that it was the first game of the year Rivers did not top 200 yards passing and throw a TD pass. Both happened in the game against Indy. It was also his first single-digit scoring performance and the first major disappointment for owners.

Chris Johnson – The leading scorer in 2009 gets zero points? Let me say that again. Mr. CJ2K who proclaimed he would hit 2,500 rushing yards was held to five rushing and two receiving yards. Okay, that was just the first drive, right? No? I think everyone is dumbfounded.

Roddy White – White is one of the leading receivers on the year, but put up a soft score of only four points. While he still managed a respectable total for PPR leagues, White’s days of Fantasy’s best receiver are past, and he might not catch back up with how Bowe and Brandon Lloyd have played.

What’s the Deal for Week 13?

All In (players I’m high on)

Michael Vick – What’s not to like? His worst game where the Giants contained him all game still produced 19 Fantasy points. Even with four INTs against Chicago, he managed 23 points. As long as he is healthy, he is the top option at quarterback.

Peyton Manning – So what happens when Peyton has an off-week? Normally, he comes back on fire. What happens when he has seven INTs in two games and faces Dallas…who knows, but I bet it will be GOOD.

Maurice Jones-Drew – MJD didn’t score against the Giants, but not many players have. The good news is he topped 100 rushing yards for the fourth straight week and faces a much weaker defense in Tennessee.

Jamaal Charles – Maybe coach Todd Haley will stick with Charles as the lead back. Then again, maybe I can predict the future and grant wishes. Denver’s defense stinks, Charles had 18 points against them last time, and he just crushed Seattle for 173 yards and a TD.

Michael Turner – Green Bay has allowed the third least amount of points to RBs. That didn’t stop Turner as he rushed for 110 yards and a TD. Conversely, Tampa Bay cannot stop anyone’s run game, and Turner rushed for two TDs last time.

Dwayne Bowe (Ace in the Hole) – All you need to know are the numbers mentioned above. Well, maybe this too – Bowe leads the league with 14 TDs, a number that would be great for a year’s worth. No one can stop him, although my being high on him for two straight weeks probably will.

Brandon Lloyd – Like Bowe, everyone doubted his numbers. And again just like Bowe, people were hesitant to use him even after top-notch games. It’s been time to face the fact Lloyd is a star this year. I say “this” because I do doubt this ever happens again for him.

Mario Manningham – Manningham is still the Giants’ No. 1 WR option with Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith out. Washington’s defense in the passing game is abysmal. Manny (the non-dreadlock, non-peeing-behind-the-scoreboard, non-flaky one) will have another big day for Big Blue.

Kevin Boss – Speaking of big days for the Giants, Boss rumbled off a nice TD score last week. As mentioned, New York is hurting at WR meaning Boss could see the most targets again this week.

Muck ‘Em (players I’m down on)

Donovan McNabb – McNabb has only thrown for more than one TD once, and he still only managed 13 Fantasy points due to turnovers. The Giants defense has made good QBs look mediocre. No need to tell you what they can do to ones that are already mediocre.

David Garrard (The Flop) – Even with a rushing TD last week, Garrard barely broke into double-digit Fantasy points (12). He’s going to be limited in practice with a wrist injury, and a matchup against a solid Titans secondary already had things looking bleak.

Donald Brown – Brown had shown flashes in the past of being the most explosive back for the Colts. Well, he must have lost it during his injury because he couldn’t take advantage of the starting gig as he performed poorly in each game. Mike Hart is coming back and Jospeh Addai is soon to return as well. What can Brown do for you? In this case, nothing.

Marshawn Lynch – What does it mean when a team who traded for you won’t even give you double-digit carries. One, your time as being useful is past. And two, well they ARE the Seahawks and their offense is quite bad. Carolina is no better as a team, but that won’t equal better numbers for Lynch.

Carolina RBs – And since we’re talking about Carolina, why not continue with their nightmare of a season and RB situation. It seems destined that the Panthers will forever have a timeshare at RB. Mike Goodson has value in PPR leagues, but neither he nor Jonathan Stewart have played well, see enough carries, and the offense can’t move the ball.

Jabar Gaffney – He’s the one most left out in Denver’s passing attack. Yet, many owners still start him thinking only of Kyle Orton’s and Brandon Lloyd’s numbers. He may have a strong week once in a while, but you can’t count on it.

Hines Ward – Ward was already taking a back seat to Mike Wallace, and now Emanuel Sanders is cutting into his targets. Baltimore and Pittsburgh should be a grind-it-out type of game, which means low passing totals for both.

Steve Smith – I don’t think I need to explain any more just how bad the Carolina offense is. Jimmy Clausen appears to be a waste of a draft-pick at this point. While fans and the team are hoping otherwise, owners of Smith need to accept it and move on.

Ben Watson – It’s not a good sign when your leading receiver is your tight end. It’s also not a good sign when Jake Delhomme is returning at QB. Some might look at the Miami matchup and think good things…don’t be one of them.

Playing the Odds (Pickups and Drops)

It’s the time of year where you need to grab all of your handcuffs. Don’t waste roster spots on low-end fillers. If you lose a major piece, you need to have his replacement ready to go – or, you will likely miss out on him through waivers.

Quarterback
Rank - Player - Team ( Opp )
1 - Michael Vick - PHI ( HOU )
2 - Aaron Rodgers - GB ( SF )
3 - Philip Rivers - SD ( OAK )
4 - Peyton Manning - IND ( DAL )
5 - Drew Brees - NO ( @ CIN )
6 - Tom Brady - NE ( NYJ )
7 - Kyle Orton - DEN ( @ KC )
8 - Eli Manning - NYG ( WAS )
9 - Matt Cassel - KC ( DEN )
10 - Jay Cutler - CHI ( @ DET )
11 - Ben Roethlisberger - PIT ( @ BAL )
12 - Matt Schaub - HOU ( @ PHI )
13 - Joe Flacco - BAL ( PIT )
14 - Matt Ryan - ATL ( @ TB )
15 - Mark Sanchez - NYJ ( @ NE )
16 - Ryan Fitzpatrick - BUF ( @ MIN )
17 - Sam Bradford - STL ( @ ARZ )
18 - Josh Freeman - TB ( ATL )
19 - David Garrard - JAC ( @ TEN )
20 - Jon Kitna - DAL ( @ IND )
21 - Carson Palmer - CIN ( NO )
22 - Donovan McNabb - WAS ( @ NYG )
23 - Brett Favre - MIN ( BUF )
24 - Chad Henne - MIA ( CLE )
25 - Matt Hasselbeck - SEA ( CAR )

Running Back
Rank - Player - Team ( Opp )
1 - Arian Foster - HOU ( @ PHI )
2 - Adrian Peterson - MIN ( BUF )
3 - Peyton Hillis - CLE ( @ MIA )
4 - Chris Johnson - TEN ( JAC )
5 - Michael Turner - ATL ( @ TB )
6 - Maurice Jones-Drew - JAC ( @ TEN )
7 - Jamaal Charles - KC ( DEN )
8 - Steven Jackson - STL ( @ ARZ )
9 - Matt Forte - CHI ( @ DET )
10 - LeSean McCoy - PHI ( HOU )
11 - Rashard Mendenhall - PIT ( @ BAL )
12 - Mike Tolbert - SD ( OAK )
13 - Knowshon Moreno - DEN ( @ KC )
14 - Ray Rice - BAL ( PIT )
15 - Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG ( WAS )
16 - Fred Jackson - BUF ( @ MIN )
17 - Darren McFadden - OAK ( @ SD )
18 - LaDainian Tomlinson - NYJ ( @ NE )
19 - Cedric Benson - CIN ( NO )
20 - Felix Jones - DAL ( @ IND )
21 - Thomas Jones - KC ( DEN )
22 - BenJarvus Green-Ellis - NE ( NYJ )
23 - LeGarrette Blount - TB ( ATL )
24 - Brandon Jacobs - NYG ( WAS )
25 - Ronnie Brown - MIA ( CLE )
26 - Mike Goodson - CAR ( @ SEA )
27 - Jonathan Stewart - CAR ( @ SEA )
28 - Brian Westbrook - SF ( @ GB )
29 - Brandon Jackson - GB ( SF )
30 - Shonn Greene - NYJ ( @ NE )
31 - Chris Ivory - NO ( @ CIN )
32 - Donald Brown - IND ( DAL )
33 - Marshawn Lynch - SEA ( CAR )
34 - Maurice Morris - DET ( CHI )
35 - Keiland Williams - WAS ( @ NYG )
36 - Beanie Wells - ARZ ( STL )
37 - James Davis - WAS ( @ NYG )
38 - Ricky Williams - MIA ( CLE )
39 - Reggie Bush - NO ( @ CIN )
40 - Danny Woodhead - NE ( NYJ )
41 - Toby Gerhart - MIN ( BUF )
42 - Justin Forsett - SEA ( CAR )
43 - Tashard Choice - DAL ( @ IND )
44 - Anthony Dixon - SF ( @ GB )
45 - Tim Hightower - ARZ ( STL )
46 - Cadillac Williams - TB ( ATL )
47 - Willis McGahee - BAL ( PIT )
48 - Darren Sproles - SD ( OAK )
49 - Mike Hart - IND ( DAL )
50 - Jason Snelling - ATL ( @ TB )

Wide Receiver
Rank - Player - Team ( Opp )
1 - Dwayne Bowe - KC ( DEN )
2 - Andre Johnson - HOU ( @ PHI )
3 - Roddy White - ATL ( @ TB )
4 - Greg Jennings - GB ( SF )
5 - Brandon Lloyd - DEN ( @ KC )
6 - Reggie Wayne - IND ( DAL )
7 - DeSean Jackson - PHI ( HOU )
8 - Marques Colston - NO ( @ CIN )
9 - Jeremy Maclin - PHI ( HOU )
10 - Steve Johnson - BUF ( @ MIN )
11 - Calvin Johnson - DET ( CHI )
12 - Larry Fitzgerald - ARZ ( STL )
13 - Santonio Holmes - NYJ ( @ NE )
14 - Mario Manningham - NYG ( WAS )
15 - Mike Wallace - PIT ( @ BAL )
16 - Mike Williams - TB ( ATL )
17 - Terrell Owens - CIN ( NO )
18 - Dez Bryant - DAL ( @ IND )
19 - Percy Harvin - MIN ( BUF )
20 - Miles Austin - DAL ( @ IND )
21 - Johnny Knox - CHI ( @ DET )
22 - Wes Welker - NE ( NYJ )
23 - Hines Ward - PIT ( @ BAL )
24 - Braylon Edwards - NYJ ( @ NE )
25 - Pierre Garcon - IND ( DAL )
26 - Santana Moss - WAS ( @ NYG )
27 - Anquan Boldin - BAL ( PIT )
28 - Malcom Floyd - SD ( OAK )
29 - Sidney Rice - MIN ( BUF )
30 - Michael Crabtree - SF ( @ GB )
31 - Chad Ochocinco - CIN ( NO )
32 - Mike Thomas - JAC ( @ TEN )
33 - Derrick Mason - BAL ( PIT )
34 - Steve Smith - CAR ( @ SEA )
35 - Randy Moss - TEN ( JAC )
36 - Eddie Royal - DEN ( @ KC )
37 - Deion Branch - NE ( NYJ )
38 - Davone Bess - MIA ( CLE )
39 - James Jones - GB ( SF )
40 - Ben Obomanu - SEA ( CAR )
41 - Danny Amendola - STL ( @ ARZ )
42 - Nate Burleson - DET ( CHI )
43 - Lance Moore - NO ( @ CIN )
44 - Brandon Marshall - MIA ( CLE )
45 - Steve Breaston - ARZ ( STL )
46 - Nate Washington - TEN ( JAC )
47 - Mike Williams - SEA ( CAR )
48 - Donald Driver - GB ( SF )
49 - Blair White - IND ( DAL )
50 - Jacoby Ford - OAK ( @ SD )

Tight End
Rank - Player - Team ( Opp )
1 - Jacob Tamme - IND ( DAL )
2 - Antonio Gates - SD ( OAK )
3 - Vernon Davis - SF ( @ GB )
4 - Marcedes Lewis - JAC ( @ TEN )
5 - Jason Witten - DAL ( @ IND )
6 - Chris Cooley - WAS ( @ NYG )
7 - Tony Gonzalez - ATL ( @ TB )
8 - Todd Heap - BAL ( PIT )
9 - Dustin Keller - NYJ ( @ NE )
10 - Kevin Boss - NYG ( WAS )
11 - Visanthe Shiancoe - MIN ( BUF )
12 - Brandon Pettigrew - DET ( CHI )
13 - Joel Dreessen - HOU ( @ PHI )
14 - Kellen Winslow - TB ( ATL )
15 - Greg Olsen - CHI ( @ DET )
16 - Brent Celek - PHI ( HOU )
17 - Zach Miller - OAK ( @ SD )
18 - Rob Gronkowski - NE ( NYJ )
19 - Tony Moeaki - KC ( DEN )
20 - Heath Miller - PIT ( @ BAL )
21 - Aaron Hernandez - NE ( NYJ )
22 - Jimmy Graham - NO ( @ CIN )
23 - Benjamin Watson - CLE ( @ MIA )
24 - Jermaine Gresham - CIN ( NO )
25 - Anthony Fasano - MIA ( CLE )

Kicker
Rank - Player - Team ( Opp )
1 - David Akers - PHI ( HOU )
2 - Adam Vinatieri - IND ( DAL )
3 - Mason Crosby - GB ( SF )
4 - Dan Carpenter - MIA ( CLE )
5 - Sebastian Janikowski - OAK ( @ SD )
6 - Matt Bryant - ATL ( @ TB )
7 - Nate Kaeding - SD ( OAK )
8 - Rob Bironas - TEN ( JAC )
9 - Ryan Longwell - MIN ( BUF )
10 - Robbie Gould - CHI ( @ DET )
11 - Matt Prater - DEN ( @ KC )
12 - Garrett Hartley - NO ( @ CIN )
13 - Neil Rackers - HOU ( @ PHI )
14 - Lawrence Tynes - NYG ( WAS )
15 - Josh Scobee - JAC ( @ TEN )
16 - Nick Folk - NYJ ( @ NE )
17 - Olindo Mare - SEA ( CAR )
18 - Billy Cundiff - BAL ( PIT )
19 - Graham Gano - WAS ( @ NYG )
20 - Josh Brown - STL ( @ ARZ )

Defense
Rank - Team ( Opp )
1 - Bears ( @ DET )
2 - Packers ( SF )
3 - Steelers ( @ BAL )
4 - Giants ( WAS )
5 - Chargers ( OAK )
6 - Saints ( @ CIN )
7 - Jets ( @ NE )
8 - Dolphins ( CLE )
9 - Ravens ( PIT )
10 - Rams ( @ ARZ )
11 - Titans ( JAC )
12 - Eagles ( HOU )
13 - Seahawks ( CAR )
14 - Vikings ( BUF )
15 - Browns ( @ MIA )
16 - Patriots ( NYJ )
17 - Falcons ( @ TB )
18 - Chiefs ( DEN )
19 - Raiders ( @ SD )
20 - Jaguars ( @ TEN )
21 - 49ers ( @ GB )
22 - Buccaneers ( ATL )
23 - Redskins ( @ NYG )
24 - Lions ( CHI )
25 - Cowboys ( @ IND )