Week 16 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.
QB Colin Kaepernick (San Francisco 49ers) Yahoo! 53% owned, ESPN 54% owned
Kaepernick's athletic ability to run and strong throwing arm make him an
excellent fantasy option and make the 49ers the best team in the NFC. He has thrown for 1,289 passing yards, 12
touchdowns (including 5 rushing), 2 interception, and has run
for 379 rushing yards
Projection for 2012 Season: 1,600 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 450 rushing yards
You can follow him on Twitter: @Kaepernick7
© Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
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's performance should put him in consideration for Rookie of the Year along with Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. He has thrown for 2,697 yards, 24 touchdowns (including 3 rushing) and 9 interceptions in his rookie season. He has also run for 402 yards rushing.
Projection for 2012 Season: 3,000 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 475 yards rushing
You can follow him on Twitter: @DangeRussWilson
QB Nick Foles (Philadelphia Eagles) Yahoo! 9% owned, ESPN 5% owned
Having
been named the starting QB for the rest of the season, Nick Foles has
an opportunity to audition to be the QB of the future for the Eagles.
He was drafted in 3rd
round pick of the 2012 Draft. He has a strong arm with
great accuracy on
short passes which should play right into the West Coast Offense that
the
Eagles run. He has thrown for 1,356 yards, 6
touchdowns (including 1 rushing) and 4 interceptions this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 1,600 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions
WR Danny Amendola (St. Louis Rams) Yahoo! 62% owned, ESPN 50% owned
Danny Amendola proved once again why he was my Top Sleeper entering the 2012 Fantasy Draft. "I
love that guy!" His chemistry with Sam Bradford and
knack to move the chains make him a Top 20 WR and a must start in PPR leagues when healthy. He has caught 57
receptions, 634 yards, and 3 touchdowns this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 75 receptions, 820 yards, 5 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @DannyAmendola
WR Danario Alexander (San Diego Chargers) Yahoo! 68% owned, ESPN 53% owned
Danario
Alexander was shutout in week 15 without a single reception on 3 targets. He should rebound next week as the Charges most reliable target. He has 33 receptions for 555 yards and 5 touchdowns on the
season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 55 receptions, 750 yards, 7 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @D_Alexander84
WR Josh Gordon (Cleveland Browns) Yahoo! 59% owned, ESPN 46% owned
Gordon has been the most productive WR for fellow rookie
Brandon Weeden. He
has 45 receptions, 759 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 56 receptions, 875 yards, 7 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @Josh_GordonXII
WR T.Y. Hilton (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 71% owned, ESPN 51% 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 44
receptions, 716 yards and 6 touchdowns this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 50 receptions, 800 yards, 7 touchdowns
WR Golden Tate (Seattle Seahawks) Yahoo! 42% owned, ESPN 18% 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, 40
receptions, 556 receiving
yards and 7 touchdowns this season. He typically only receives
between 4 and 5 targets per game which causes inconsistent production.
Projection for 2012 Season: 48 receptions, 620 yards, 8 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @ShowtimeTate
WR Kendall Wright (Tennessee Titans) Yahoo! 34% owned, ESPN 14% owned
Kendall
Wright becomes unplayable in the playoffs because the Titans continue to spread
the ball around. He should be the top rated WR for the Titans in 2013.
He
now has 62 receptions, 586 yards, and 4 touchdowns on the
season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 72 receptions, 680 yards, 6 touchdowns
WR Chris Givens (St. Louis Rams) Yahoo! 28% owned, ESPN 13% owned
Givens has become the Rams best deep threat with break-away speed. His stat totals are 37
receptions, 606 yards, and 3 touchdowns this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 45 receptions, 675 yards, 5 touchdowns
You can follow him on Twitter: @CG1three
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Joique Bell has been sneaky play in PPR leagues since he plays such an active role in the passing game. He has 398 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 41 receptions, 393 receiving yards this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 440 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns, 45 receptions, 450 receiving yards
RB Jonathan Dwyer (Pittsburgh Steelers) Yahoo! 51% owned, ESPN 48% owned
Jonathan Dwyer is often compared to Jerome "the Bus" Bettis since he is hard to bring down and runs through tackles. He has been named the starting RB for the Steelers. Dwyer has 532 rushing yards, 2 touchdown, 17 receptions, and 97 receiving yards.
Projection for 2012 Season: 675 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 20 receptions, 120 receiving yards
RB Vick Ballard (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 49% owned, ESPN 65% owned
Vick Ballard
has been the better RB in the Colts backfield. Ballard has 667 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, 15 receptions, 143 receiving yards this season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 720 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns, 18 receptions, 170 receiving yards
TE Denis Pitta (Baltimore Ravens) Yahoo! 32% owned,
ESPN 30% owned
Dennis Pitta has been one of Joe Flacco's most trusted
options to move the chains and in the redzone this season. With Torrey Smith's concussion Pitta could see an increase in targets. He has
caught 57
receptions for 613 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season.
Projection for 2012 Season: 55 receptions, 550 yards, 6
touchdowns
TE Martellus Bennett (New York Giants) Yahoo! 63% owned, ESPN 63% 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 50
receptions, 584 yards, and 5 touchdowns.
Projection for 2012 Season: 56 receptions, 630 yards, 6 touchdowns
K Connor Barth (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Yahoo! 52% owned, ESPN 38% owned
Connor Barth has made 23 of 28 field goals attempted including 15 of 19 field goals
over 40 yards. He
has also made all 37 of his extra point attempts. He could make an impact in your playoff matchup.
You can follow him on Twitter: @ConnorBarth
K Kai Forbath (Washington Redskins) Yahoo! 5% owned, ESPN 3% owned
Kai Forbath has made all 15 field goals attempted including 10 on field goals over 40 yards. He
has also made all of his 26 extra point attempts. He has been perfect so far this season.
K Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 27% owned, ESPN 23% owned
Adam Vinatieri has made 24 of 31
field goals attempted, including 12 of 16 on field goals over 40 yards. He
has also made all of his 31 extra point attempts.
You can follow him on Twitter: @adamvinatieri
DEF Indianapolis Colts Yahoo! 3% owned, ESPN 3% owned
The Colts Defense and Special Teams have a great matchup
this week against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have given up the second most points to opposing defenses this season. The Colts defensive
highlights of
the season include 27 sacks, 8
interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 defensive touchdowns and 1 return touchdown.
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!
Robert Griffin III missed Sunday's game as a late scratch due to knee sprain. Kirk Cousins got the start in his place. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the QB help.
LeSean McCoy missed his fourth straight game on Sunday recovering from a concussion. Bryce Brown has likely earned his way into a timeshare with McCoy once he is able to return. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Maurice Jones-Drew missed his eighth straight game Sunday with a left foot injury. There is not time table for his return at this time. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Ahmad Bradshaw missed Sundays' game with a knee injury. David Wilson would start if Bradshaw is unable to play on Sunday. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Fred Jackson (knee injury) was placed on IR ending his season.
Ryan Matthews will miss the rest of the season with a broken left collarbone suffered in Sunday's game against the Panthers.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the RB help.
Percy Harvin (ankle injury) was placed on the IR ending his season.
Jordy Nelson missed his second straight game Sunday after suffering a pulled hamstring. Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Dwayne Bowe (broken ribs) was placed on IR ending his season on Dec 15.
Torrey Smith left Sunday's game after suffering a concussion.
Watch his progress in the practice reports to determine his status for this week.
Ryan Broyles (torn ACL) was placed on IR ending his season.
See the Observatory or the Weight Room for the WR help.
Rob Gronkowski missed his fourth straight game on Sunday with broken arm. 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.
© David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Leonard Hankerson has been a deep threat for the Redskins this season. But his production is still too inconsistent to depend on. He has caught 36 receptions for 521 yards and 3 touchdowns this season.
WR Rod Streater (Oakland Raiders) Yahoo! 4% owned, ESPN 2% owned
Rod Streater has produce strong efforts in relief of Denarius Moore. Streater signed with the Oakland Raiders as an Undrafted Free Agent coming out of Temple's run heavy offense. He posted a 4.46 40 yard dash on his pro day back in March 2012. His speed is comparable to Chris Givens of the Rams who posted a 4.41 at the Combine.
WR Riley Cooper (Philadelphia Eagles) Yahoo! 1% owned, ESPN 0% owned
Jason Avant and Riley Cooper have an opportunity to earn more playing time now that DeSean Jackson will miss the rest of the season with multiple rib fractures.
WR Jason Avant (Philadelphia Eagles) Yahoo! 6% owned, ESPN 1% owned
Jason Avant and Riley Cooper have an opportunity to earn more playing time now that DeSean Jackson will miss the rest of the season with multiple rib fractures.
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 31 receptions for 349 yards and 1 touchdown on the season.
WR Brian Quick (St. Louis Rams) Yahoo! 2% owned, ESPN 0% owned
Brian Quick was drafted out of Appalachian State with the 1st pick of the 2nd round of the 2012 Draft by the Rams. He is still working his way up the depth charts. He could have a larger impact in 2013 if Danny Amendola leaves in free agency. Quick has caught 11 receptions for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns this season.
© Derick E. Hingle-US TODAY Sports
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 510 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns, 5 receptions, and 22 receiving yards this season.
RB Danny Woodhead (New England Patriots) Yahoo! 34% owned, ESPN 28% owned
Danny Woodhead is the handcuff for Stevan Ridley. If New England clinches the division, look for Ridley to rest for the playoffs. He has run for 275 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns (including 2 receiving) and caught 33 receptions for 329 receiving yards this season. The Patriots playoff schedule includes two of the best matchups in weeks 16 and 17.
RB Jacquizz Rodgers (Atlanta Falcons) Yahoo! 54% owned, ESPN 26% owned
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 320 rushing yards, caught 44 receptions for 341 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns this season.
RB Ben Tate (Houston Texans) Yahoo! 4% owned, ESPN 63% owned
Ben Tate is once again considered the handcuff to Arian Foster. The Texans are likely to clinch a bye in the playoffs, look for them to rest Arian Foster in the final weeks.
RB Daryl Richardson (St. Louis Rams) Yahoo! 17% owned, ESPN 6% 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 under performed 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 Ronnie Hillman (Denver Broncos) Yahoo! 21% owned, ESPN 10% owned
The Broncos have shocked most fantasy players by giving Moreno the bulk of the carries even though Ronnie Hillman has the highest long term potential. Hillman has 279 rushing yards, 1 touchdowns, 10 receptions, and 62 receiving yards.
RB Peyton Hillis (Kansas City Chief) Yahoo! 21% owned, ESPN 49% 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.
TE Coby Fleener (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 11% owned, ESPN 12% owned
The Colts pair of rookie TE could become the next Gronkowski and Hernandez as Andrew Luck continues to develop. Coby Fleener was Andrew Luck's primary receiver at Stanford so the was a natural report coming into the NFL. The Colts 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft is once again competing for looks with fellow rookie Dwayne Allen. Fleener has 24 receptions, 278 yards, and 1 touchdowns in his rookie season.
TE Dwayne Allen (Indianapolis Colts) Yahoo! 11% owned, ESPN 2% owned
The Colts pair of rookie TE could become the next Gronkowski and Hernandez as Andrew Luck continues to develop. The Colts 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft is once again competing for looks with fellow rookie Coby Fleener. Allen has 40 receptions, 482 yards, and 3 touchdowns in his rookie season.
TE Clay Harbor (Philadelphia Eagles) Yahoo! 0% owned, ESPN 0% owned
Clay Harbor started for Brent Celek after he suffered a concussion in week 14. Harbor has caught 25 receptions for 188 yards and 2 touchdown this season.
Follow me on Twitter: @bgbailey85
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