With the Cowboys trade to move up in the draft to grab one of the top ranked CBs coming out this season in Morris Claiborne, the team was addressing a glaring issue that has plagued the team in recent seasons. Paired with the drafting of Tyron Smith last season, who’s move to the left tackle position which sends Doug Free to the right side and puts both players in a more natural fit for each, it seems that the Cowboys under Jason Garrett have addressed two of their weakest spots on the team over the last 3 seasons.

The Cowboys will leave a large margin of error after taking the standout corner coming out of LSU, who is touted as being an “elite” type of talent who could be a shutdown corner in the NFL and was also listed as the highest rated corner to come out since Deion Sanders, whom many Cowboy fans surely remember. Claiborne, who also infamously scored a 4 out of 50 (that’s a grade of 8% out of 100) on the Wonderlic test, will wear the tag of questionable intelligence, be it deserved or not, likely throughout his career. Another concern would be his high 40 time at the combine which was a high 4.47. Though it may be an aberration the NFL is full of speedy players who will burn up a secondary that is just a step slower, and his pension for laziness, which some have cited him for, could be an issue going forward if not resolved early. It is that laziness that could have resulted in the low Wonderlic as well, as Claiborne reportedly stated he just gave up on the test when he decided it wasn’t football related. However, in this case the score on the Wonderlic will probably not be that important as a player this highly regarded should be well worth the risk the Cowboys took in moving up to get him.

The question now remains in what to do with the sudden depth in the secondary. The team now has Morris Claiborne (who wasn’t drafted that high to come in as a nickel CB), Brandon Carr (not signed for $50 million to ride the bench either), Orlando Scandrick (signed an extension last season), and Mike Jenkins (maybe the odd man out). Jenkins is in a contract season and though Jerry Jones has said that they will not trade Jenkins and they want to try to resign him, the likelihood is that this will be Jenkins’ last season. So what will the team do with this depth? If Claiborne lives up to anything near the hype surrounding him and no injuries occur, Jerry would be wise to think long and hard about getting some value out of Jenkins in a trade before the season ends.

Last week of the season, division game Cowboys at the Giants, and the division is on the line. It’s hard not to get excited about the prospects of this game. It’s the ultimate in football for the regular season. The early playoffs where you win or go home, like your team gets to start the playoffs before everyone else.

Tony Romo will be coming into the game with what was called a hand “contusion” and is likely to play this weekend. He has been throwing the ball well according to coaches and will be the key to any chances the Cowboys will have of winning this week. The Cowboys will look to be at full strength this week, but will it be enough?

The Cowboys committed a critical error last week. They looked like they laid down against the Eagles. All while the Giants fought for a tough win against the Jets. The Giants seized the momentum that is prized throughout the league going into the playoffs, especially this late in the season, whereas the Cowboys simply said I quit, before the game even started. It’s a sign that doesn’t bode well for a rematch where the Cowboys outplayed the Giants at home only to lose as the Giants gained momentum late in the game.

The Giants’ younger players are peaking late in the year as well with Victor Cruz excelling game in and game out, and DE Jason Pierre-Paul is emerging as a highly productive player opposite of Justin Tuck. Eli Manning has not been an “elite” player all season, but he has been highly efficient when it counts late in games.

The Cowboys have the personnel to win this game with Miles Austin and Laurent Robinson both finally healthy opposite of Dez Bryant, along with a capable defensive unit. However, the team has proven game in and game out that they are the picture of inconsistency if nothing else, and with the lack of momentum on their side it’s hard not to give the edge to the Giants in this one.

With the Cowboys’ win against the Bucs this Saturday and the Giants lose to the Redskins, the team is back at the top of the division again. How long that lasts is yet to be seen.

If the Cowboys think that they can beat teams like the Bucs and simply hope the Giants lose again as they slide into the playoffs, then they better think again. The Cowboys had their standing handed to them they had better think again.

Despite the somber mood, the Cowboys did play well against Tampa, with Tony Romo posting solid stats and hitting his 3 top receivers for touchdowns as well as running one in. Though some of his throws were ill advised, they were reminiscent of the play of Romo, who can often make a play out of nothing while looking like a magician on the field or simply make a throw he shouldn’t have made and leave his defense to clean up the mess.

With the lose of DeMarco Murray, Felix Jones reassumed the starting tailback position and ran for another 100 yard game. Felix looked fresh, as well he should after riding the bench behind Murray, and he ran strong. However, the Cowboys know that they cannot use as a workhorse in way they used Murray and what’s worse is other teams will know it.

The defense looked strong at points as is the norm, but also looked to let up and almost allow for Josh Freeman and Tampa to begin a surge to comeback, which is also a norm for the Cowboys defense. I have always been of the opinion that confidence and fire from a coach is a good thing, but Rob Ryan has had a record of coaching a strong defensive game and losing late in the game. What’s worse is his attitude of “put all the blame on me” as if he is the head coach. That attitude, along with his late faltering defense in games should leave the team to consider cutting ties with Ryan after the season playoffs or not.

The Cowboys will have to prepare hard for next week when they face a Philadelphia team that looks like it’s found itself and is playing like the team they were hyped to be, if they want to have any hope of making a playoff appearance this season.

The Cowboys suffered what was probably their most devastating lose of the season last week, surrendering the lead in the division to the New York Giants. This week they will get a slightly easier match up with a Tampa Bay team that has taken a step back this season. This is a win that the team will need if they are going to have any chance of staying in contention to for the division.

The Cowboys will turn back to Felix Jones this week after losing DeMarco Murray. Jones ran well last week, topping 100 yards against the Giants, but he is clearly not the all around back that Murray had been this season. However, Felix is fresh and will be relied upon heavily this week.

The Cowboys did get Miles Austin back, and though he seemed at slightly less than full speed, he played well. With Laurent Robinson playing through a shoulder injury the Cowboys will need Austin ready to go.

Offensively, the Cowboys are still sound, but the question coming up for the team is their blatant defensive issues, especially late in games. Rob Ryan has been unable to stop the bleeding late in games defensively and has been at the root of many of the collapses for the Cowboys this season. A turnaround is needed now or we may be looking for a new defensive coordinator this off-season.

That’s not to ignore the obvious issues in Dallas’ secondary, which cannot be neglected again this off-season. The Cowboys front office will have to concede that Gerlad Sensabaugh and Abram Elam will not cut it at safety and target a safety in the draft or through free agency.

Looking towards this week, the Cowboys will need to keep a dangerous Josh Freeman in check and not overlook LeGarrette Blount. If the team is to hold on to any hopes of making the week 17 match up against the Giants count, they will need to make this week count first and foremost.

Another week of win or go home guys. Here are this week’s start’ems.

Quarterbacks

Tony Romo – Romo and the Cowboys have lost their power run game in DeMarco Murray, but have gained Miles Austin back into the mix. He should look to carve up a vulnerable Tampa Bay defense this Saturday.

Matthew Stafford – The broken finger Stafford played through had a prominent effect on his passes where he threw 9 interceptions over a 3 game stretch. With his finger now healed and a great match up in Oakland, Stafford should be in line for a solid day.

Sleeper

Jake Locker – Locker has played well in the 2 games he has played during a Matt Hasselbeck injury, and if he gets the start against Indianapolis will be a sneaky good pick.

Others I like: Andy Dalton – He will get a rocky St. Louis defense and should hook up with AJ Green throughout. Dalton won’t always overwhelm you with his stats, but you can count on solid numbers from him. Matt Moore – Moore is set to start this week after suffering a concussion last week. He is a solid start against a Buffalo team that is struggle down the stretch.

Running Backs

Felix Jones – With Murray out, Jones will be assuming the feature back role for Dallas, and against a Tampa Bay team that has allow the most rushing touchdowns in the league he should make for a great start.

Cedric Benson – He has been battling foot issues, but all signs point to Benson starting this week and he will get the bottom dwelling Rams defense. The Bengals will lean on Benson when they get a lead, so you can expect him to get his share this week.

Sleeper

Kevin Smith – After missing last week Smith has returned to practice on a limited basis and is looking more and more like he will be able to play this week. Assuming he is a go this week, Smith will be a great start against the Raiders.

Others I like: Reggie Bush – Bush has been great down the stretch and has been running solid behind great blocking by the Dolphins O-line. Keep rolling him this week. Ryan Grant – With James Starks and Brandon Saine both looking like they will be out Grant will be the starter by default. Though he may lose some carries to John Kuhn, Grant will be the primary back and a good start this week.

Wide Receivers

AJ Green – Green has a superb playoff match up this week, and should be in line for a big day against Rams team starting corners off of practice squads and outright free agents to fill the void.

Jordy Nelson – With Greg Jennings out for the remainder of the fantasy season, Nelson will be the receiver to own for the Packers and the Chiefs present a solid match up this week.

Sleeper

Nate Washington – Washington scored twice the last time he played the Colts, but what is more important this week is whether or not Jake Locker plays. Locker clearly looks to Washington more in the passing game, and would make him a great start if he is under center.

Others I like: Santana Moss – The Giants secondary has been beat up over the last 2 games, and Moss has taken over as the primary target with Fred Davis suspended. Hakeem Nicks – Many believe that Victor Cruz has surpassed Nicks as the Giants number 1 receiver, whether true or not Nicks is benefiting from coverage beginning to lean more towards Cruz.

Tight Ends

Owen Daniels – TJ Yates is playing fairly well for a QB expected to simply manage the team, and the rookie will use Daniels as his safety valve.

Jermichael Finley – Finley should be another player on the Packers squad who should see a bump in catches with Greg Jennings out. Against the Chiefs this week he will be a solid play.

Sleeper

Braandon Pettigrew – Ever the inconsistent tight end, but Lions will battle the Raiders this week and Pettigrew should benefit from the Lions spreading the ball around more and blanket coverages on Calvin Johnson.

Others I like: Jake Ballard – He has continued to be a solid part of the Giants offense and is a red zone factor going into this week’s match up. Aaron Hernandez – He has clearly taken a back seat to Rob Gronkowski, but the injury to Deion Branch will lead to more looks for Hernandez this week, especially if Branch sits out.

Kickers

Dan Bailey – He is the number 2 kicker in points so far this season and will continue to be a solid play throughout the fantasy playoffs.

Mike Nugent – This would be a good week to run Mike Nugent as the Bengals will look to take advantage of the Rams in their attempt to stay in the playoff hunt for a Wild Card. Last week Steven Hauschka got 4 attempts with the Seattle offense.

Others I like: Rob Bironas – He should get his share of attempts this week against a the lowly Colts. Mason Crosby – The Packers will easily move the ball, but may be slowed a bit without their number 1 wide out which could lead to more attempts for Crosby this week on stalled drives.

Defenses

Cincinnati – The Rams are struggling mightily, and with the likely starter being Kellen Clemons, the Bengals DST could be in for a big day.

Tennessee – Take advantage of the struggling teams, and the Titans could do just that as they face the Colts this week.

Others I like: Green Bay – The Chiefs may have Kyle Orton under center, but that upgrade may not help the Chiefs enough against the aggressive Packers D. Arizona – The Cards have tuned up the D late in the season and against a Browns team starting Seneca Wallace, will be a solid play.

Thanks for reading everyone and good luck in your playoffs.

It was a devastating lose in multiple ways for the Cowboys who lost again on a last second field goal attempt that they failed to convert. This week Jason Garrett didn’t call the timeout that saw Dallas kicker Dan Bailey make the his first attempt only to be iced, but opposing coach Tom Coughlin. The successful kick was also not missed this time by Bailey, instead it was blocked by Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

The debacle at the end of the game may lead many to assume the Cowboys have once again reverted to their old ways of “Team Breakdown”, and an argument can be made for the defensive side, but in the end the Cowboys simply lost in a good game against a good team.

Besides losing and being ousted from the top of the division, the Cowboys were devastated by the lose of standout rookie running back DeMarco Murray to a broken ankle that will end his season. He was replaced by Felix Jones who ran exceptionally well on fresh legs.

Offensively, the Cowboys played well with Laurent Robinson playing through a shoulder injury and Miles Austin returning from a hamstring injury, with each grabbing a touchdown. Towards the end of the game Romo missed an open Miles Austin who got behind the Giants secondary for what could have been the score to seal the game. Romo, did hit Austin for a pair of 20 plus yard gains in the last seconds of the game to set up Dan Bailey for the field that would have tied the game.

Defensively, the Cowboys secondary yet again looked overmatched by the Giants wide receiving core, and again left a Rob Ryan defense looking incapable. This just highlights the fact that the faith the front office has in their DBs is slightly off and in need of an upgrade. To put it in perspective, the for the Cowboys to have a chance in the playoffs (if that happens) they will have to go against teams like the Green Bay Packers or the New Orleans Saints. Each are surgical in their passing game with multiple receiver sets, and each of which would likely carve up Dallas’ secondary as it is now. Addressing the DBs will be extraordinarily important after this season.

The lose is terrible for the team, but they are not out of the running though as they face a rebounding Eagles team next week. If they can win next week and then again at Tampa, then they will have a chance to reclaim the division from the Giants in week 17. However, first things first, have to face the Eagles.

It’s fantasy playoffs everyone. It’s win or your out. Let’s look at the week 14 start’ems.

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford – When the Lions and Stafford played the Vikings before, Minnesota was not as depleted in the secondary. Now that they are, the Lions will be licking their chops at a chance to tear up their rival.

Philip Rivers – I’m inclined to agree with some that say that Rivers is back, at least for this next game. The return of Malcom Floyd and that presence of recently acquired Jared Gaither should help Rivers maintain QB1 status for this week against the Bills.

Sleeper

Rex Grossman – He is usually an enigma from week to week, but if you’ve managed your way into the playoffs without a solid QB then Grossman may be worth a play.

Others I like: Eli Manning – He has steadily become one of the more solid fantasy QBs this season, and the Giants always seem to find lanes to pass in against the Cowboys. Carson Palmer - The Raiders will have to pass against a Green Bay team that will almost certainly get a lead, and Palmer will have to air it out.

Running Backs

Michael Turner – He has been nursing a groin injury so I write this with caution, but if healthy, Turner has a prime match up against a team he’s burned 5 out of the last 6 match ups for 100 yards. Moreover, the Panther’s run defense was much better in those 5 earlier games.

Roy Helu – Even with a top 10 run defense for New England, Helu as the feature back, has been playing strong since being given the role and should continue the strong play this week.

Sleeper

CJ Spiller – Spiller seems to be getting it together as the starter in Buffalo, has a lot of upside against an underachieving Chargers defense.

Others I like: Marshawn Lynch – Lynch has been money this year in fantasy, and is in line for a prime match up against the Rams this week. Run’em without question. Ryan Mathews – Mathews acknowledged that Mike Tolbert vultures touchdowns, and that says that he wants the carries. Mathews came on strong at the end of last season and could start that again with a good match up against the Bills.

Wide Receivers

Victor Cruz – Cruz has been one of the biggest surprises this season and looks to be solid throughout the fantasy playoffs. Run him with ease.

Santana Moss – New England has improved in their secondary play, but they are still vulnerable and Moss could be primed for a solid game on fresher legs than most at this point in the season.

Sleeper

Golden Tate – Tate has scored in each of the last 2 games, and Pete Carroll has said that he wants to keep Tate more involved. Tate is slotted as the number 1 receiver and will face the Rams this week. Seattle is likely to go run heavy, but Tate will likely be targeted when they have to throw the ball.

Others I like: Torrey Smith – If there ever was a burnable team in the secondary it’s been the Colts this year, and with attention being drawn by Anquan Boldin, Smith could be in line for a solid outing. Jordy Nelson – Nelson is a week to week player who can be hit or miss. This week looks like a hit. Oakland has been roughed up defensively as of late and the Packers won’t be doing them any favors.

Tight Ends

Brent Celek – Celek has remained solid even with Michael Vick missing time, and with Vick returning, he could see more dump offs as Vick reassimilates to the game after missing time.

Kellen Winslow – For the same reason mentioned for Celek, Winslow is a good start this week with Josh Freeman returning from a shoulder injury that kept him out last week. Winslow has been highly involved in the passing game over the past few weeks and Freeman may keep his passes short in his return this week.

Sleeper

Kyle Rudolph – There has been clamoring within the organization to get Rudolph more playing time with Visanthe Shiancoe set to be a free agent this off-season, and with the Vikings out of playoff contention it may be time to see what they have. He’s a desperation play at tight end this week for owners who have lost Fred Davis.

Others I like: Vernon Davis – Davis had his way with Arizona earlier this season and could take advantage of a suddenly stiffening Cardinals run defense that could keep Frank Gore held down. Tony Gonzalez – Gonzo remains solid going into this week’s match up maintaining 8.2 targets a game.

Kickers

David Akers – So far Akers is the top kicker this season, and this week he has a solid match up at Arizona.

Jason Hanson – The Lions will be looking to take advantage of this game against a beat up Minnesota team, and Hanson could be the benefactor.

Others I like: Stephen Gostkowski – The Patriots and Belichick aren’t known for taking their foot off the throttle and even with just PATs Gostkowski is a solid play.

Defenses

New York Jets – The Jets have a prime match up if Tyler Plako is the QB for the Chiefs, and even if Kyle Orton starts.

Baltimore – Probably not a better defensive match up this week for the start of the fantasy playoffs.

Others I like: San Francisco - Arizona won last week, but their offense didn’t present much, the 49ers should be able to slow down Beanie Wells and turn out a solid day in fantasy. Seattle – The Rams may be without Sam Bradford or AJ Feely. Either way it is a solid match up for the Seahawk’s defense.

Most leagues are set for the playoffs and now is where the real fantasy match ups take place. It’s always good to remain active on the wire though, and there are always a few good match up or injury based pick ups available. Let’s look at week 14 waivers.

Marion Barber – With the injury to Matt Forte, Barber is easily the pick up of the week, especially for Forte owners going in to the playoffs. However, Barber has always been more of a closer than a feature back and with Caleb Hanie and the Bears offense having problems Barber’s upside will be limited. Available in 64% of leagues currently.

Golden Tate – With Sidney Rice out for the season, the Seahawks are now seeing what Tate has and he has responded with a touchdown in the last 2 games. The Seahawks will continue to ride the ground game and Marshawn Lynch, but against a porous Rams secondary Tate could be a smart pick up and play this week. Available in 97% of leagues currently.

Brandon Saine – With James Starks a question mark this week, Saine is worth a look. Ryan Grant is simply not what he was a few seasons back, and the Packers may simply choose to rest Starks for the playoffs. If this all falls into place Saine will be in line for a decent match up against the Raiders. Available in 99% of leagues.

Damian Williams – He continues to get the most targets in Tennessee and with Nate Washington coming up gimpy on his ankle and proving incapable in the WR1 role, Williams looks like the receiver to own down the stretch in Tennessee for whatever that’s worth. Available in 76% of leagues currently.

Maurice Morris – With Kevin Smith going out of the game for the second week in a row, Morris should be owned and may be available if owners in your league dropped him due to the emergence of Smith. It’s hard to trust either back in Detroit, but in the event that Smith is declared out it will be worth having Morris. Available in 57% of leagues curretnly.

Montario Hardesty – Peyton Hillis sustained yet another injury last Sunday, and his status is in question for this week against the Steelers. Hardesty is worth a look in deeper leagues desperate for a back. Available in 86% of leagues currently.

Malcom Floyd – He looked healthy and was a big part of a resurgent Chargers offense. He’s best suited in deeper leagues as his production can be sporadic, but he is well worth an add. Available in 60% of leagues currently.

I also like Matt Moore and Dan Orlovsky but this week is terrible for them as Moore faces an up and down Philly secondary and Orlovsky faces the Ravens.

It will go down as the story of the game. Jason Garrett called a time out on the last play of regulation icing Dan Bailey, his own kicker. Bailey would make the first kick and miss the second, sending the Cowboys into overtime where the Cardinals would win the game on a Kevin Kolb pass to LaRod Stevens-Howling for a 52 yard score. Hyphenated name jokes aside, it was a stunning play for Dallas, who clearly went into overtime on their heels.

The Cardinals did an effective job of shutting down the Cowboy’s run game, holding Cowboys lead rusher DeMarco Murray to 38 yards. They were also able to keep the pressure on Tony Romo throughout the game, sacking him 5 times in the game. Dallas was unable to put away the Cardinals throughout the game though, and the Cardinals were able to hang around long enough in the game to stun the Cowboys. It was a bit of a head scratcher as to why Garrett would call a timeout before the kick. Usually that is left to the opposing team’s coach. Garrett probably had a reason for the call, and Bailey will likely say that he should have made the kick regardless of the circumstances, but the fact that he missed under those circumstances will clearly be the spotlight of the game and viewed widely as the blunder of the game.

None of this should take away from a strong game the Cowboys played, but it does put a dent in the momentum the team had been building over a stretch in their schedule where they had won 4 straight. The important thing coming out of this game is that we didn’t see the face of “Team Breakdown”, but more-so the surging of a proud home team that wouldn’t quit. The Cowboys will need to respond quickly as they prepared for next weeks showdown with the New York Giants who came within seconds of a win over the unbeaten Green Bay Packers. The Giants have played strong and the Cowboys will need a strong showing if they want to have any hope of maintaining a lead in the NFC East.

Last week of the regular season in fantasy for most leagues and if you’re a team on the cusp this week begins your fantasy playoffs. Here are some names to look at as you choose your line ups.

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford – Stafford looked bad on Thanksgiving, but with a game against the red hot Saints he sure to have to throw the ball a ton with the Saints likely making it a high scoring game.

Eli Manning – There are a lot of things going wrong for the Giants, but Manning isn’t one of them. He threw for a little over 400 yards in their lose to the Saints and against the soft pass defense of the Packers, he should put up solid numbers again.

Sleeper

Matt Moore – Moore has been solid over the past few weeks and he gets a soft Raiders secondary that has been vulnerable to the pass.

Others I like: Tony Romo – Romo has been solid since the offense has become more balanced, and with a burnable Patrick Peterson at corner, he should have another solid day. Philip Rivers – Rivers is having a down year, but the Jags lost top corner Rashean Mathis and are beginning to weather from another down season.

Running Backs

Roy Helu – Ok, we’ve been down this road before with Mike Shanahan, but I’m willing to give it another shot. Especially after the way that Helu played as the feature back for the Redskins, and against a soft Jets run D he’s a good play. This will also be great timing for owners going into the playoffs to evaluate the risk/reward of relying on a Washington running back.

LeGarrette Blount – The Colts and Donald Brown reminded us last week that if your running back is facing the Panthers then it is probably best to run him. Carolina can’t stop the run and Blount should be a great start this week.

Sleeper

Mark Ingram – He led the Saints backfield in touches and with the road to the Super Bowl likely going through Green Bay, the Saints need to establish their ability to run the ball. Ingram could be in line for an increased workload as the season comes to an end.

Others I like: Reggie Bush – With Rolondo McClain likely to miss the game and then some, the Raiders run defense will be severly hampered without him and the Dolphins should benefit. Michael Bush – With McFadden out yet another game, look for the other Bush to continue running like he wants a new contract.

Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown – Mike Wallace’s production has been down for the past few games, and Brown has looked like the receiver to own for the Steelers. A good deal of this may be due to the broken thumb Roethlisberger has on his right throwing hand and could be limiting his down the field throws. Roethlisberger hurt his thumb again this week, and though he’ll play, Brown may continue to be the preferred target.

Wes Welker – Welker had a great game last week and against the Colts he will re-attain must start status after a few down weeks. The Colts cover the tight end well and may limit Gronkowski’s performance leaving Welker to benefit.

Sleeper

Torrey Smith – The epitome of hot and cold this season, Smith has been unreliable from game to game, but this week the Ravens get the Browns who, though they have the top pass defense and Joe Haden are burnable opposite of their top corner.

Others I like: Laurent Robinson – He has scored in 5 straight games now, and the Cardinals aren’t the best pass defending team. Look for 6 straight games. Vincent Jackson – He has been another boom or bust player this season, but the Jaguars lost Rashean Mathis a few weeks back and could lose a little “umph” in their secondary.

Tight Ends

Aaron Hernandez – He is usually lining up as a wide out and so I think the idea of the Colts limiting tight ends can be overlooked, beside most of the attention will be on Rob Gronkowski. Hernandez could be in for a good day.

Jake Ballard – Manning continues to look Ballard’s way each week, with his only interception last week on a pass in the end zone to Ballard. The Giants will have to throw the ball against the Packers and Ballard should continue to be involved and targeted.

Sleeper

Greg Olsen – He has been quiet as of late, but Tampa has not fared well against tight ends and Olsen could be due for a nice game.

Others I like: Vernon Davis – The Rams have done well to stop tight ends this season, but Davis is not your typical tight end and is difficult to bench anyway. Fred Davis – The return of Santana Moss has helped free up Davis and he will be a solid play with Moss drawing the coverage of Darelle Revis.

Kickers

Neil Rackers – Another week with a strong run game and a weak option at QB should lead to plenty of attempts for Rackers and the Texans.

Stephen Gostkowski – The Patriots will look to take it to the Colts with no mercy. Despite a few missed field goals over the past few weeks, Gostkowski is a solid play this week.

Others I like: John Kasay – Another high octane game with the Saints versus the Lions. Kasay should get his looks. Dan Bailey – The Cowboys will continue to rely on the rookie instead of forcing the ball with Romo. Should be another solid game for Bailey.

Defenses

New England – I’ve said it before a few times in the blog and at the risk of sounding redundant, the Patriots will take it to the Colts whether they’re down or not.

Denver – The Broncos defense has been playing lights out with bookends Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller and should be in for a good fantasy day with Adrian Peterson set to miss another game this week.

Others I like: San Francisco – The 49ers are a top 10 defense in the league and against the down and out Rams should put up solid fantasy numbers. San Diego – The Chargers have been on a defensive slide as of late, but they get a plus match up against rookie Blaine Gabbert and a Jaguars offense that is predicated on effectiveness of Maurice Jones-Drew.

Thanks for reading. Please leave any comments or questions here or you can follow me on Twitter @dwillPSB.