Week 14 Pickups of the Week
As you know, the Pickups of the Week on NFLDraft101.com are divided into 3 sections: The Observatory, The Road to Recovery, and the Weight Room.
- In the Observatory, I give you the emerging new stars, available in more than 60% of leagues, competing to be in your starting lineup.
- In the Road to Recovery, I give you viable replacements for the key injuries of the week. Recover your hope of a championship.
- In the Weight Room, I give you deep sleepers to add to your Bench in deeper leagues or to your Watch List in more shallow leagues until the time is right.
The Observatory
…emerging new stars available in more than 60% of leagues.
© Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE
Despite the overtime loss on Sunday, Jim Harbaugh plans to stick with Kaepernick as the starting QB in week 14. Remember, Alex Smith was inherited by the previous regime, Kaepernick was drafted by Harbaugh in the 2nd round of the 2011 Draft as an athletic QB with a strong arm. Kaepernick's ability to run and throw make him an excellent fantasy option. He has thrown for 888 passing yards, 7 touchdowns (including 4 rushing touchdowns), 1 interception, and has run for 298 rushing yards
Projection for 2012 Season: 1,500 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 300 rushing yards
You can follow him on Twitter: @Kaepernick7
QB Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) Yahoo! 23% owned, ESPN 18% owned
Russell Wilson was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft as
a mobile quarterback with the unique gift of accuracy while throwing on
the run. He has thrown for 2,344 yards 19 touchdowns and 8
interceptions so far in his rookie season. He has also run for 298 yards rushing. As his chemistry with his receiving corps
continues to build, so will his production in the 2nd half of the
season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 3,000 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 325 yards rushing
You can follow him on Twitter: @DangeRussWilson
QB Chad Henne (Jacksonville Jaguars) Yahoo! 12% owned, ESPN 9% owned
Chad
Henne has an opportunity to audition to be the QB of the future for the
Jaguars in the remaining games. He has thrown for 1038 yards, 8
touchdowns, and 3 interceptions so far this season. He has also ran for
12 rushing yards and 1 touchdown. Keep in mind that he has averaged
59.7% completion percentage and 6.8
yards per attempt for his
career.
Projection for 2012 Season: 1,800 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions
WR Justin Blackmon (Jacksonville Jaguars) Yahoo! 67% owned, ESPN 72% owned
The
Jaguars drafted Justin Blackmon in the 1st round with 5th pick in the
2012 Draft. Expectations
abound for such a high draft pick. If Cecil Shorts misses any time due to his concussion, look for Blackmon to play a bigger role in the Jaguars passing game. He has caught 39 receptions for 557
yards and 3 touchdowns so far this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 60 receptions, 750 yards, 5 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @JustBlack81
WR T.Y. Hilton (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 58% owned, ESPN 34% owned
T.Y.
Hilton, the Colts 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft, appears to have
found a niche in stretching the field as the No. 2 WR behind Reggie Wayne.
He has 39
receptions, 588 yards, and 5 touchdowns so far this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 50 receptions, 720 yards, 7 touchdowns
WR Josh Gordon (Cleveland Browns) Yahoo! 34% owned, ESPN 24% owned
Gordon has been the most productive WR for fellow rookie
Brandon Weeden. He
has 34 receptions, 646 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 45 receptions, 725 yards, 7 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @Josh_GordonXII
WR Kendall Wright (Tennessee Titans) Yahoo! 33% owned, ESPN 13% owned
Kendall
Wright becomes a matchup play only since the Titans continue to spread the ball around. He should be the top rated WR for the Titans in 2013. He
now has 54 receptions, 516 yards, and 4 touchdowns on the
season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 75 receptions, 700 yards, 6 touchdowns
WR Danario Alexander (San Diego Chargers) Yahoo! 47% owned, ESPN 27% owned
Danario
Alexander has emerged as the Charges most reliable target. Alexander could be in line for big 2nd half of the
season. He has 26 receptions for 467 yards and 3 touchdowns on the
season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 35 receptions, 600 yards, 6 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @D_Alexander84
WR Chris Givens (St. Louis Rams) Yahoo! 14% owned, ESPN 3% owned
Givens has become the Rams best deep threat with break-away speed. His stat totals are 33
receptions, 559 yards, and 3 touchdowns so far this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 45 receptions, 675 yards, 5 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @CG1three
WR Golden Tate (Seattle Seahawks) Yahoo! 30% owned, ESPN 10% owned
Golden
Tate seams to be a jack-of-all-trades in the Seahawks offense. He
now has 23 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 20 rushing yards, 35
receptions, 486 receiving
yards and 7 touchdowns so far this season. He typically only receives
between 4 and 5 targets per game which causes inconsistent production.
Projection for 2012 Season: 45 receptions, 575 yards, 8 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @ShowtimeTate
© Matthew Emmons-US RESSWIRE
LeSean McCoy missed his second straight game on Sunday recovering from a concussion. Bryce Brown was the highest scoring RB again in week 13. He has 488 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns, 9 receptions, and 33 receiving yards. He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2012 draft by the Eagles.
Projection for 2012 Season: 650 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns, 16 receptions, 58 receiving yards
RB Ronnie Hillman (Denver Broncos) Yahoo! 26% owned, ESPN 16% owned
Willis
McGahee (torn MCL) has been placed
on IR and designated for return in the postseason. The Broncos have
shocked most fantasy
players by giving Moreno the bulk of the carries even though Hillman has
the highest long term potential. I expected that to change in the
remaining weeks. Hillman has 226 rushing yards, 1
touchdowns, 10 receptions, and 62 receiving yards.
Projection for 2012 Season: 300 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 15 receptions, 90 receiving yards
You can follow him on Twitter: @MrHillman2U
RB Knowshon Moreno (Denver Broncos) Yahoo! 63% owned, ESPN 49% owned
Willis
McGahee (torn MCL) has been placed
on IR and designated for return in the postseason. The Broncos have
shocked most fantasy
players by giving Moreno the bulk of the carries even though Hillman has
the highest long term potential. I expected that to change in the
remaining weeks. Moreno has 169 rushing yards, 1
touchdowns, 9 receptions, and 52 receiving yards.
Projection for 2012 Season: 250 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 16 receptions, 90 receiving yards
RB Joique Bell (Detroit Lions) Yahoo! 26% owned, ESPN 10% owned
Joique
Bell has
been sneaky play
in PPR leagues since he plays such an active role in the passing game.
He has 325 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 34 receptions, 333 receiving
yards so far this
season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 370 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns, 42 receptions, 420 receiving yards
RB Jonathan Dwyer (Pittsburgh Steelers) Yahoo! 46% owned, ESPN 41% owned
Jonathan Dwyer has been named the starting RB for the Steelers. Brian Billick has compared him to Jerome Bettis (aka "the Bus")
because he is hard to bring down and runs through tackles. Billick
probably still has nightmares of "the Bus" running over the Ravens twice
a year. Dwyer has 478 rushing yards, 1 touchdown, 14 receptions, and 79 receiving yards.
Projection for 2012 Season: 630 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 20 receptions, 120 receiving yards
RB Vick Ballard (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 37% owned, ESPN 61% owned
Ballard
might be the better RB in the Colts backfield but, he is
still splitting time with Donald Brown for the moment. Ballard has 468
rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, 14 receptions, 133 receiving yards so far this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 630 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns, 18 receptions, 170 receiving yards
TE Brandon Myers (Oakland Raiders) Yahoo! 53% owned,
ESPN 22% owned
If
you need a TE at this stage in the game, Brandon Myers might
be the best option available on the waiver wire. He has been a trusted
option to move the chains between the 20's most of the season. He has
caught 69
receptions for 721 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 78 receptions, 850 yards, 5
touchdowns
TE Kyle Rudolph (Minnesota Vikings) Yahoo! 56% owned, ESPN 58% owned
Kyle
Rudolph has clearly established himself as a redzone threat. He has
seen an increase in production while Percy Harvin has been out with a
sprained ankle. He now has 45 receptions, 412 yards, and 8 touchdowns.
Projection for 2012 Season: 50 receptions, 450 yards, 10 touchdowns
TE Martellus Bennett (New York Giants) Yahoo! 52% owned, ESPN 52% owned
Martellus Bennett has emerged as a redzone target for Eli Manning. However his production tends to be highly dependent on touchdowns. He now has 44 receptions, 537 yards, and 4 touchdowns.
Projection for 2012 Season: 55 receptions, 600 yards, 5 touchdowns
TE Denis Pitta (Baltimore Ravens) Yahoo! 26% owned,
ESPN 30% owned
Dennis Pitta might
be a serviceable option available on the waiver wire if you still need a TE. He has been a trusted
option to move the chains most of the season. He has
caught 45
receptions for 442 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 50 receptions, 550 yards, 6
touchdowns
TE Dwayne Allen(Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 14% owned, ESPN 2% owned
Dwayne Allen is once again competing with Coby Fleener for looks in the Colts passing game. Allen was the Colts 3rd
round pick in the 2012 draft. He now has 36 receptions, 435 yards, and 2
touchdowns so far this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 45 receptions, 545 yards, 4
touchdowns
© Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE
Jacob Tamme had a productive day in PPR leagues catching 9 receptions for 89 yards during week 13. He has caught 47 receptions for 449 yards and 2 touchdowns this season. Tamme's expectations must be tempered since he is not Peyton Manning's only option at TE, there is also Joel Dreessen.
Projection for 2012 Season: 53 receptions, 490 yards, 3 touchdowns
K Connor Barth (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Yahoo! 38% owned, ESPN 30% owned
Connor Barth has the sixth most fantasy points among K. He
has made 23 of 25 field goals attempted including 15 of 19 field goals
over 40 yards. He
has also made all 34 of his extra point attempts. He could make an impact in your playoff matchup.
You can follow him on Twitter: @ConnorBarth
K Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) Yahoo! 27% owned, ESPN 45% owned
Rob Bironas has made 21 of 25 field goals attempted but, he is just 4 of 8 on field goals over 40 yards. He
has also made all of his 25 extra point attempts.
You can follow him on Twitter: @RobBironas
K Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 26% owned, ESPN 27% owned
Adam Vinatieri has made 21 of 28
field goals attempted, including 10 of 14 on field goals over 40 yards. He
has also made all of his 26 extra point attempts.
You can follow him on Twitter: @adamvinatieri
DEF Cleveland Browns Yahoo! 28% owned, ESPN 10% owned
The Browns Defense and Special Teams have a great matchup
this week against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have given up the most points to opposing defenses this season. The Browns defensive
highlights of
the season include 29 sacks, 14
interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries, and 2 touchdowns.
The Road to Recovery
…viable replacements for the key injuries of the week. If you have an injury issue, grab a tissue. Then pick up one of these guys!
Ben Roethlisberger missed his third straight game Sunday after spraining his right (throwing) shoulder and dislocating his first rib in week 10. He was expected to miss 3 weeks due to injury. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine when he will be able to return.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the QB help.
LeSean McCoy missed his second straight game on Sunday recovering from a concussion. Bryce Brown was the highest scoring RB again in week 13. Expect a timeshare once McCoy returns. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Maurice Jones-Drew missed his sixth straight game Sunday with a left foot injury. There is not time table for his return at this time.
Darren McFadden missed his fourth straight game Sunday with an sprained left ankle. Watch his progress in the practice reports later in the week to determine his status for this week.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the RB help.
Percy Harvin missed his third straight game Sunday with a sprained left ankle. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Jordy Nelson left Sunday's game in the 2nd quarter with a pulled hamstring. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Danny Amendola missed Sunday's game with a right heel and foot injury. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Cecil Shorts left Sunday's game in the 4th quarter with a concussion. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Stevie Johnson left Sunday's game in the 3rd quarter with a pulled hamstring. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Ryan Broyles suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in Sunday's loss against the Colts. He will miss the rest of the season.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the WR help.
Rob Gronkowski missed his second straight game on Sunday with broken arm. Gronk was expected miss 4 to 6 weeks as an early timetable for his return. Watch his progress in the coming weeks to determine when he will be able to return.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the TE help.
The Weight Room
…deep sleepers to add to your Bench in deeper leagues or to your Watch List in more shallow leagues until the time is right. Still waiting on the Weight Room.
© Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE
On Monday, Andy Reid named Nick Foles the starting QB for the rest of the season. He was drafted by the Eagles in 3rd round pick of the 2012 Draft. Marty Mornhinweg, the Eagles Offensive Coordinator, called him a "3rd round steal." He has a strong arm with great accuracy on short passes which should play right into the West Coast Offense that the Eagles run. Perhaps more time under Andy Reid tutelage will help him turn things around.
WR Michael Floyd(Arizona Cardinals) Yahoo! 5% owned, ESPN 3% owned
Michael
Floyd was drafted as a Jr. out of Notre Dame by the Cardinals with the
13th pick in the 1st round of the 2012 Draft. He was the 2nd WR drafted
overall. He now has 24
receptions for 260 yards and 1 touchdown on the season.
WR Riley Cooper (Pittsburgh Steelers) Yahoo! 1% owned, ESPN 0% owned
Riley Cooper has an opportunity to earn more playing time now that DeSean Jackson will miss the rest of the season with multiple rib fractures.
Jacquizz Rodgers is the handcuff for Michael Turner. If Atlanta wraps up home field advantage, look for Turner to rest for the playoffs. He has 274 rushing yards, caught 37 receptions for 284 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns so far this season.
RB Justin Forsett (Houston Texans) Yahoo! 1% owned, ESPN 1% owned
Coming
into the season, Ben Tate was considered the handcuff to Arian Foster.
However, Ben Tate's injuries this season have opened the door for Justin
Forsett. The Texans are likely to clinch a bye in the playoffs, look
for them to rest Arian Foster in the final weeks.
RB Danny Woodhead (New England Patriots) Yahoo! 44% owned, ESPN 29% owned
Danny
Woodhead is the handcuff for Stevan Ridley. If New England clinches the
division, look for Ridley to rest for the playoffs. The Patriots
playoff schedule is a mixed bag. They have two of the worst matchups
in weeks 14 and 15 against and two of the best matchups in weeks 16 and
17.
© Daniel Shirey-US RESSWIRE
Mark Ingram has begun to turn around his disappointing season in recent weeks. He has since surpassed Pierre Thomas as the backup for Darren Sproles. Ingram has 352 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 5 receptions, and 22 receiving yards so far this season.
RB Daryl Richardson (St. Louis Rams) Yahoo! 20% owned, ESPN 7% owned
Daryl Richardson is a must handcuff for Steven Jackson owners. Either by injury or by coaches decision, Daryl Richardson will become the Rams primary back in the finals weeks of the season. Steven Jackson has performed poorly this season and he will be a free agent at the end of the season. The Rams have a favorable schedule in the playoffs for RB's.
RB David Wilson (New York Giants) Yahoo! 15% owned, ESPN 41% owned
On
Monday, Andre Brown was placed on IR with designation to return if make
the Super Bowl after suffering a broken fibula which creates an open
door for David Wilson. The Giants 1st round pick impressed in the
preseason but, he quickly landed firmly in the doghouse for not securing
the ball. Adding him to you bench could payoff as the Giants have
pretty good matchups in the playoffs (Saints week 14, Falcons week 15,
Ravens week 16, and Eagles week 17).
RB Peyton Hillis (Kansas City Chief) Yahoo! 21% owned, ESPN 50% owned
Peyton Hillis is the handcuff for Jamal Charles owners. Even though Hillis has become the Chiefs goal line back, his greatest value comes as insurance in case Charles suffers an injury.
RB Brandon Jacob (San Francisco 49ers) Yahoo! 23% owned, ESPN 6% owned
Brandon
Jacob becomes the Frank Gore handcuff after loosing Kendall
Hunter the rest of the season to a torn Achilles. Jacob does not
possess the speed required to be a "change of pace" guy. Therefore, he
does not have the upside of Hunter.
TE Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) Yahoo! 18% owned, ESPN 19% owned
Marcedes
Lewis appears to be a smart TE matchup play in the playoffs. Chad Henne has been an improvement over Blaine Gabbert despite averaging 59.7% completion percentage and 6.8 yards per attempt for his
career.
Follow me on Twitter: @bgbailey85
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