The Colts’ faithful fans got their Christmas present early…
Santa came early for some of the Colt's fans as they finally get their first win off the season over the Tennessee Titans; December 18th. Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Tennessee Titans
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FIVE PICKUPS-WEEK #16
This will be the last installment of wavier pickups for this season. For all of those who are no longer in the playoffs, we hope that you will go further in your leagues next year. And for the lucky few who are battling for the championship (and 2nd and 3rd place), congratulations! We hope that some of our suggestions over the past 16 weeks have helped you gain some small edge in your leagues. Good luck this week!
1) DONALD DRIVER-WR-Packers- When Greg Jennings went down we weren’t sure if James Jones or Donald Driver would receive some of Aaron Rodgers’ attention. Clearly, we can now recommend Donald Driver. Over the last 3 weeks, James Jones has only four receptions for 46 yards while Driver has amassed 10 rec.-116yds-3TD’s. He won’t prove to be more than an adept WR3 vs the Bears but given that Rodgers passed for just under 300 yds. and 3 touchdowns in week 3 against Da Bears we feel confident about Driver’s chances of at least a score and 40-50 yards.
#80 Donald Driver catches a touchdown pass last week vs Kansas City. He could find the endzone this week vs the Bears. Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP
2) DONALD BROWN-RB-Colts- Over the past three games, Brown, a 1st round pick of the Colts out of UCONN back in 2009, has rushed 53 times for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns. It’s taken a while but he is beginning to show why he was such a high pick. He ran for a career high 161 yards last week vs the Titans, eclipsing 100 yards for the first time since Dec 19th of last year against Jacksonville. He’ll face the Texans this week who are tough against the run but Brown can still make for a decent flex play nonetheless.
Colts RB Donald Brown racked up a career high 161 rushing yards last week vs the Titans. Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
3. KAHLIL BELL-RB-Bears- Bell had an outstanding week last week against a strong defensive minded Seahawk team. He rushed 15 times for 65 yards and had 5 receptions good for 43 more and a touchdown. He’s a perfect add in PPR leagues especially because he’ll be going up against a Packers team that gave up 80 receiving yards to Matt Forte that last time these two teams met in week 3. Bell is only owned in 10% of Yahoo! leagues so if you could use a RB2 or flex player let him ring your Bell…
#32 Kahlil Bell gets congratulations from teammate Marion Barber after scoring on a passing touchdown last week vs the Seahawks. Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
4. KYLE ORTON-QB-Chiefs- For starters, almost any quarterback would be an improvement over the totally ineffective Tyler Palko. Just having the veteran Orton on the gridiron makes his teammates play better. He passed for 300 yards last week in the Chief’s upset of the Packers. His QB rating was a better than average 104.1. In the next two weeks Orton and the Chiefs will face two teams that give up the 3rd and 4th most fantasy points to quarterbacks; Oakland and Denver. Orton is available in 83% of Yahoo! leagues.
#8 Chief's quarterback Kyle Orton celebarates after completing a touchdown pass last week against Green Bay. Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
5. TENNESSEE TITANS-DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS- The Jaguars have scored more than 17 points only twice all year. Their anemic offense should make them an excellent pickup for defense/special teams. Maurice Jones-Drew is to Jacksonville what Steven Jackson is to St. Louis; their only offense threat. We realize that some of you got burned last week if you had the Titan’s defense who afforded the Colts their first win of the season but that was just an anomaly. They are available in 60% of Yahoo! leagues.
*Home team in CAPS
Washington Redskins over ST. LOUIS RAMS- The 0-3 Rams get a rested Steven
Jackson back this week, but with Danny Amendola still sidelined, the Rams haven’t been a real offensive juggernaut. That said, we think Washington will be more motivated this week as they were embarrassed 30-16 in St. Louis last season, which, as it turned out, was Sam Bradford’s first win in the NFL. They also lost a squeaker last week to Dallas on a Dan Bailey 40 yard field goal with 1:47 seconds left; 18-16. Edge to Washington.
Detroit Lions over DALLAS COWBOYS- This was a tough one for us to choose. Dallas has won their last two after Romo blew the first; they’re playing in their own building, & Felix Jones is finally coming into his own this season. However, the Lions could very well be a ‘team of destiny’ this year as they are 3-0 to begin a season for the first time since 1980. They are on the road where they have won 2 of 3, and have Calvin Johnson and too many weapons for the corner back depleted Cowboys to handle. Go with the Lions.
Buffalo Bills over CINCINNATI BENGALS- Under the assumption that the Bills
won’t have a setback this week after their amazing win vs the Pats last Sunday, they should be capable of knocking off the 1-2 Bengals. The Bills are one of three NFL teams sitting at 3-0 and have to convince us that they are not the ‘real deal’. Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson have looked like they are having career seasons thus far and we don’t think the Bengals have the talent to match up with Buffalo. We’re taking the Bills.
BALTIMORE RAVENS over New York Jets- This is a ‘must win’ game for the Jets;
we get it. But we are not sold on them so far this year. Tony Romo handed the ‘W’ to N.Y. in game one and in week 2, a totally inept QB on the Jags enabled the Jets with their second win. Oakland then rocked them at the Black Hole last week. Now they’re going up against their best defensive team this season; a team that has given up the leagues fewest points (40) over the first 3 weeks. Antonio Cromartie, who has been getting penalized way too often, and the rest of the defense, will not be able to contain Ray Rice for 60 minutes.
CLEVELAND BROWNS over Tennessee Titans- Not the biggest, most important
game of the week, but since we’ve been bashing the Browns since week one, we thought we would lighten up on them a bit. We would like to see what they can do playing a team with a winning record for a change. The Titans go in to the Dawg Pound without Kenny Brit, lost for the year after tearing his ACL, and with an under-achieving Chris Johnson who is averaging just over 2 yards per carry. We’re showing Cleveland some love here.
*Last Week: 3-2
season to date: 8-2
FANTASY FURNACE 