By Ethan Mendelsohn
This weekend we will see an interesting array of games. The Sunday night
game, Texans vs. 49ers, will be, in my opinion,
the most intense match-up of this week. The Chargers and Raiders will have their interdivisional match-up moved back to 11:35 due to the Oakland Athletics baseball playoff game. We will see a lot of even match-ups this wee
k all leading up to the Falcons Jets game on Monday night.
?
Players I like:
QB: Philip Rivers, Chargers
– Rivers has thrown for over 400 yards twice this season and is facing a Raiders defense that allowed 22.8 points per game through week 4. He will have a chance to throw for another 400.
RB:
Lesean
McCoy, Eagles
- Shady McCoy is facing a rival Giants team that is 0-4, they are also horrible against the run defense. McCoy is the best RB1 option this week.
WR: Julio Jones, Falcons
– Julio has put up at least 100 yards in his last three games. He will be put up against the struggling corners of the Jets on Monday night football. Expect nothing to change.
TE: Jimmy Graham, Saints
– Graham has put up at least 100 yards and a touchdown in his last three games. Until he stops, he will be known as the best fantasy tight end in football.
Players I don’t like:
QB: Matt
Schaub
, Texans
– Matt
Schaub
could not be in a worse position right now. After throwing 6 interceptions in his first 4 games, he is going up against a top-tier San Francisco defense. Do not start
Schaub
this week.
RB
: Ray Rice, Ravens
– The Ravens only ran nine run plays last week and Rice was only involved in 5. At this pace, Rice will never see a large amount of fantasy points.
WR: Reggie Wayne, Colts
–
Wayne is facing a Seattle secondary that cannot get much better. Wayne may put up a few yards, but he will not be worth the start.
TE: Vernon Davis, 49ers
– Davis, who is questionable for Sunday night’s game, is playing a Texans defense that has allowed the third least amount of points to apposing tight ends. Davis may not be worth the start.
Sleeper picks this week:
QB: Joe
Flacco
, Ravens
–
Flacco
has something to prove. Though he put up 347 yards last week, he also threw 5 picks. Look for
Flacco
to step up against a Miami defense that allowed 397 yards to a Saints passing game.
RB: Bilal Powell, Jets
– On Monday night football, Powell will have something to show. Powell, who has put up at least 10 fantasy points in the last three weeks, will show that he is a solid starter.
WR: Brandon
LaF
ell
, Panthers
–
LaFell
put up 2 touchdowns in week three and had a bye last week. The Panthers are facing a weak Arizona defense
that
will put all their focus on WR1 Steve Smith.
TE: Jared Cook, Rams
– Cook has never been the same since week one. This
weeks
match-up against the Jaguars is his best chance to show that he belongs as an NFL starter.
