Nov. 18, 2008

Week 12 Fantasy Faceoffs

By Dave Richard | Senior Fantasy Writer

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Editor's note: Senior Fantasy Writers Dave Richard and Jamey Eisenberg disagree a lot on particular players in a given week. Instead of trying to convince each other they are right, we feel it makes for good reading to hear each argument. Here are their best debates entering Week 12.

Start Kyle Orton at St. Louis?
Dave Richard	Jamey Eisenberg
Forget about Orton's awful start last week against the Packers. The Bears fell behind and were forced to throw against one of the best secondaries in the league. Now Orton, with a game of rust knocked off, will play at St. Louis against a Rams pass defense that has allowed 15 touchdowns through the air. Matt Cassel and more recently Shaun Hill have had success against the Rams, so Orton has every reason to follow suit, especially with his receiving corps healthy and the opposition locked in on trying to slow down Matt Forte. I'd start him over: Eli Manning at Arizona and Donovan McNabb at Baltimore	I wouldn't start Orton as a top 12 Fantasy quarterback in Week 12. Even with the matchup at the Rams, I'm concerned about Orton getting back to being a starting Fantasy option after his ankle injury in Week 9. He looked awful at Green Bay last week, and the Bears are going to rely on Matt Forte and the running game at St. Louis. The Rams pass coverage has improved since Jim Haslett took over as coach, but the run defense is horrible. The Rams lead the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns allowed, so Orton's best talent Sunday will be handing off to Forte and watching him do all the work. I'd rather start: Brady Quinn vs. Houston

Start DeAngelo Williams at Atlanta?
Dave Richard	Jamey Eisenberg
Erase Williams' last two weeks from your memory: His incredible stat totals came in cupcake matchups against two of the three worst run defenses in the NFL. The Falcons' run defense isn't bad and in the last seven weeks, they've allowed one 100-yard rusher. Moreover, Williams has an awful history against the Falcons: He's never scored on them or totaled over 100 yards. I know that after two huge games, the idea of sitting Williams seems strange, but expecting a third straight 100-yard game from Williams against an opponent he and most other running backs have struggled against seems unrealistic. I'd rather start: Warrick Dunn at Detroit	Why would anyone sit Williams right now? All he's done in his past five games is run for 461 yards and four touchdowns, and he also added a receiving score. He's becoming a No. 1 Fantasy option, and he has a great matchup at the Falcons. Atlanta is allowing 119.6 rushing yards per game with 11 touchdowns this season, and last week the Falcons gave up two touchdowns at home to Peyton Hillis. We can all agree Williams is better than Hillis, so start Williams in all formats this week. He's having a breakout season, and that will continue at Atlanta. I'd start him over: Chris Johnson vs. N.Y. Jets

Start Santana Moss at Seattle?
Dave Richard	Jamey Eisenberg
Seattle's pass defense has fallen to 31st in the league and could be without cornerback Marcus Trufant in Week 12. That's great news for Moss, who will play at Seattle and should decimate a pass defense that let the Cardinals' receiving duo top 150 yards each. Throw in Redskins coach Jim Zorn coming back to take on his former team and Moss' recent success in Seattle (68 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs last year) and you've got plenty of reason to expect a big game from him this week. I'd start him over: Randy Moss at Miami	It's hard to start Moss right now because of his inconsistent play. One week you can get 140 yards and a touchdown, and the next week he could have two catches for 14 yards. He also has just seven catches for 43 yards his past two games, so he's riding a cold streak. If you need to play Moss this week because of poor matchups for your other receivers, then do so. But if you have players who are more consistent with an equal or better matchup, keep Moss on the bench. I'd rather start: Donnie Avery vs. Chicago

Start Shaun Hill at Dallas?
Dave Richard	Jamey Eisenberg
Shaun Hill has been playing incredible ball dating back to his starts last year, but the matchup against an improved Dallas secondary doesn't look appealing. The 49ers' receiving corps isn't going to be a problem for the Cowboys to cover, and the pass rush they'll bring will disrupt Hill's timing. Moreover, there are too many good quarterbacks this week that warrant starting over Hill. I'd rather start: Kerry Collins vs. N.Y. Jets	All Hill does is produce with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in six appearances going back to last year. The Cowboys are vulnerable in pass coverage even with Terrence Newman back, and Hill will be throwing a lot this week because that's what Mike Martz quarterbacks do. Start Hill and expect about 240 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He will finish among the top 12 Fantasy quarterbacks this week. I'd start him over: Jake Delhomme at Atlanta

Do you agree with Dave or Jamey? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com and we'll post the best responses. Be sure to put Attn: Fantasy Faceoff in the subject field. Include your full name, hometown and state.

Leshoure's recovery going well
Mikel Leshoure, RB, DET
12:40 PM

News: The Detroit Free-Press reports that Lions RB Mikel Leshoure, who tore his left Achilles tendon in the second week of training camp last year, is close to making a full recovery. At the Lions’ request, Leshoure just moved the final stages of his rehab back to Detroit from Arizona. He’s doing resistance work and light running and is expected to join OTA workouts at some point this offseason. Leshoure looked like he was going to be a key part of the Lions offense when injury struck last August, and the team is anxious to get a read on him this spring. RB Jahvid Best’s status remains uncertain because of concussion problems, and even if Best returns it’s clear he’s not an every-down back.

Analysis: Leshoure should be considered a great sleeper heading into 2012, and he is worth drafting as a No. 3 Fantasy RB as long as he's healthy. He has tremendous upside, and he could be a great weapon for the Lions, especially with Best struggling as an every-down back. Continue to monitor what happens with Leshoure, but he is worth drafting as early as Round 6 in 2012.

Steelers want to lock up Wallace
Mike Wallace, WR, PIT
12:17 PM

News: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday the team wants to keep WR Mike Wallace "here for the long run." Wallace, their leading receiver last season, will become a restricted free agent March 13.

Analysis: Wallace played well in 2011 with 72 catches for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns on 114 targets. He will remain in Pittsburgh in 2012, and hopefully he can sign a long-term deal. We consider Wallace a Top 10 Fantasy WR on Draft Day, and he should be selected in all leagues in Round 3.

GM says no decision on Ward yet
Hines Ward, WR, PIT
12:13 PM

News: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that no decision has been made on whether WR Hines Ward will be back with the Steelers in 2012. "To this current point, no final decisions have been made," Colbert said. "We've had several discussions internally. We're right in the midst of our free agent evaluations of other teams' free agents. We'll meet on those [on the Steelers roster] starting Thursday and carry through Monday." A recent report on NFL Network said that Ward won't be back with the Steelers in 2012 but a source close to Ward refuted the report.

Analysis: Keep an eye on what happens with Ward and where he ends up in 2012. No matter where Ward plays, however, he would have minimal Fantasy value, and he is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues.

Pats could go after Lloyd
Brandon Lloyd, WR, STL
12:08 PM

News: The Boston Herald reports that the Patriots will be in the market for a WR this year, and one obvious possibility is Brandon Lloyd, who is an impending free agent, because of his ties to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The fact that Lloyd said “I’m tied to McDaniels” makes him a likely free agent target. Lloyd had 51 catches for 683 yards and five TDs last year in 11 games in St. Louis when McDaniels was the offensive coordinator makes him look pretty good after he amassed 77 catches for 1,448 yards and 11 scores with Denver when McDaniels was the coach.

Analysis: One holdup for Lloyd and the Patriots could be Lloyd's agent, Tom Condon, who has a rocky relationship with the Patriots. We'll see what plays out this offseason, but if Lloyd signs in New England he would be considered a low-end No. 2 Fantasy WR. He could still return to the Rams, where he would be a strong No. 3 option. Or he could shop himself around the league. Stay tuned, but either way Lloyd is worth a mid-round pick in all leagues.

Fitzpatrick finished season hurt
Bills, TQB BUF,
11:53 AM

News: The Sports Xchange reports that Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's second-half swoon in 2011 was mystifying to fans and media who concluded the front office badly miscalculated in handing the career journeyman a 10-year, $60 million contract extension. But now it appears Fitzpatrick played the final nine games last season with cracked ribs. "A lot of people don't know, but Fitz, during the Washington game, actually cracked a couple of ribs," WR David Nelson said. "So after that he was playing hurt." It showed. In Fitzpatrick's first seven games of the year, he threw for 1,739 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. After the injury, he had 2,093 yards, 10 touchdowns and 16 picks. He finished the year with a league-high 23 interceptions. "It's hard to find the silver lining but as we evaluate the season and what went right and what went wrong I'm sure we'll find a lot of positives and a lot of things that we can carry into next year hopefully and continue to get better at it," Fitzpatrick said.

Analysis: Fitzpatrick obviously has 4,000-yard, 25-touchdown potential, but issues involving the personnel around him along with his own issues (accuracy, for one) make him risky for weekly use in Fantasy. Figure that he's worth a late-round pick as a good No. 2 Fantasy QB with potential to be a low-end starter. It should only help him if the Bills not only re-sign Steve Johnson this offseason, but also add talent at wide receiver.

Jags want Scobee back
Josh Scobee, K, JAC
11:47 AM

News: The Sports Xchange reports that Jacksonville has most of its top offensive players locked into contracts for the coming season with one notable exception - kicker Josh Scobee, who is an eight-year veteran. Scobee has been one of the league's most accurate kickers in his eight seasons with the Jaguars, converting better than 75 percent of his field-goal attempts in all but one season. Scobee led the team in scoring last year with 92 points, including 23 of 25 (92 percent) field-goal attempts, the second time in his career he's finished over 90 percent with his kicks. It isn't likely the Jaguars would use the franchise tag on him and probably won't have to. They'll make every attempt to sign him. For a team that was among the league's lowest scoring clubs, the Jaguars can ill afford to lose a player with Scobee's talents.

Analysis: Keep an eye on what happens with Scobee. He is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues, but he could be used as a bye-week replacement as long as he remains with the Jaguars.

Coaches excited about Bradford
Rams, TQB STL,
11:44 AM

News: The Sports Xchange reports that new Rams coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer are excited to be working with QB Sam Bradford. Fisher has said on several occasions that Bradford's presence was a major factor that made the Rams' job attractive. "Sam was a big part of the decision," Fisher said. "We think he has a chance to be great. A lot of people around the league believe that. We are going to everything possible to make that happen." As Schottenheimer began watching tape of Bradford, he liked what he saw. "Obviously, he's extremely gifted, extremely talented," Schottenheimer said. "As I'm watching the film, getting the sense of how accurate he is with the football and how well he actually moves around and has made plays. That was one of the things that jumped off the film at me. It will be a fun process going through and looking at all the games and just getting a sense of where he's at. Obviously, I've been around a lot of young quarterbacks, but I think this guy's got a chance to be real special."

Analysis: We have high expectations for Bradford heading into 2012, but he still remains just a No. 2 Fantasy QB in the majority of leagues. The Rams need to give Bradford some weapons, but he is someone to draft with a late-round pick with the hope he can develop into a potential starting option in all formats.

Hill wants return to Lions
Shaun Hill, QB, DET
11:19 AM

News: The Detroit Free-Press reports that Lions backup QB Shaun Hill would like to return to Detroit in 2012. The Lions have told Hill, his representatives and others that they want him back as the primary backup to Matthew Stafford. Hill also wants to return to Detroit -- and might even take a slight discount to do so. The 32-year-old appeared in two games last year and attempted just three passes, but he made 10 starts in 2010, when Stafford missed 13 games with two separated throwing shoulders.

Analysis: Keep an eye on what happens with Hill, but unless he signs with a team and earns a starting job he would not be worth drafting in the majority of leagues.

Cotchery wants return to Steelers
Jerricho Cotchery, WR, PIT
11:15 AM

News: The Newark Star-Ledger reports that Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery, who is an impending free agent, would like to return to Pittsburgh in 2012. “In exit meetings (with the Steelers), it was pretty much stated that they were very pleased with me, who I was on the field and off the field,” Cotchery said. “I’m everything that they thought I would be, so from their standpoint, they definitely would want me back. And I expressed the same desire, so we’ll see what happens.”

Analysis: Cotchery was coming off offseason back surgery last season and then missed the first three games with a hamstring injury. He finished with 16 catches for 237 yards, and he caught a 31-yard touchdown pass to force overtime against the Broncos in the wild-card playoff game. Keep an eye on what happens with Cotchery, but he has minimal Fantasy value heading into the year. He should not be drafted in most formats.

Kolb plans to be Cardinals starter
Cardinals, TQB ARI,
11:06 AM

News: The Arizona Republic reports that Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb is not worried about losing his job heading into 2012 with the speculation the team could sign Peyton Manning if he becomes a free agent. "I know how the NFL works," Kolb said, "anything is possible. I just try to keep my mind clear and do what I can on my end. I plan on having a great year and being a Cardinal for a long time." Kolb is due a $7 million bonus if he's on the roster March 17, and said "every indication on my end shows me that I'll be there." Kolb's first season with the Cardinals was hampered by a foot injury and concussion. He missed four games because of the foot and the last three games of the season with the concussion. "I feel good," Kolb said. "I'd say it took three to four weeks after the season was over to not have any symptoms. Once my mind cleared, I got back to working out."

Analysis: Kolb struggled in his first year with the Cardinals in 2011, and he was outplayed by John Skelton for most of the year. Kolb passed for 1,955 passing yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions, but he will likely be the starter in 2012 if the team doesn't bring in Manning. Keep an eye on what happens, but Kolb is only worth drafting as a No. 2 Fantasy QB in deeper leagues if he remains the starter with the Cardinals.

More Updates

1	Aaron Rodgers, GB, QB
2	Drew Brees, NO, QB
3	Tom Brady, NE, QB
4	Cam Newton, CAR, QB
5	Matthew Stafford, DET, QB
6	Philip Rivers, SD, QB
7	Eli Manning, NYG, QB
8	Tony Romo, DAL, QB
9	Michael Vick, PHI, QB
10	Peyton Manning, IND, QB
All Rankings

1	Arian Foster, HOU, RB
2	LeSean McCoy, PHI, RB
3	Ray Rice, BAL, RB
4	Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC, RB
5	Matt Forte, CHI, RB
6	Marshawn Lynch, SEA, RB
7	Ryan Mathews, SD, RB
8	Chris Johnson, TEN, RB
9	Adrian Peterson, MIN, RB
10	Steven Jackson, STL, RB
All Rankings

1	Calvin Johnson, DET, WR
2	Wes Welker, NE, WR
3	Roddy White, ATL, WR
4	Larry Fitzgerald, ARI, WR
5	Hakeem Nicks, NYG, WR
6	Greg Jennings, GB, WR
7	Victor Cruz, NYG, WR
8	A.J. Green, CIN, WR
9	Mike Wallace, PIT, WR
10	Miles Austin, DAL, WR
All Rankings

1	Rob Gronkowski, NE, TE
2	Jimmy Graham, NO, TE
3	Aaron Hernandez, NE, TE
4	Antonio Gates, SD, TE
5	Jason Witten, DAL, TE
6	Tony Gonzalez, ATL, TE
7	Vernon Davis, SF, TE
8	Jermichael Finley, GB, TE
9	Brent Celek, PHI, TE
10	Fred Davis, WAS, TE
All Rankings

1	Stephen Gostkowski, NE, K
2	Mason Crosby, GB, K
3	Sebastian Janikowski, OAK, K
4	David Akers, SF, K
5	Garrett Hartley, NO, K
6	Dan Bailey, DAL, K
7	Jason Hanson, DET, K
8	Neil Rackers, HOU, K
9	Alex Henery, PHI, K
10	Nate Kaeding, SD, K
All Rankings

1	49ers, DST
2	Texans, DST
3	Ravens, DST
4	Giants, DST
5	Steelers, DST
6	Seahawks, DST
7	Eagles, DST
8	Packers, DST
9	Jets, DST
10	Patriots, DST
All Rankings