Contributed from CBS Sports
The final week of classes for the semester is upon us, so if you want to take a break from worrying about finals for a few minutes and read some fantasy advice, then you’re in the right place.
Week 15 had one of the most interesting games that I have ever seen: the “snowbowl” between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Detroit Lions. The nearly eight inches of snow on the field made it impossible for field goals or extra points to be attempted, resulting in a number of exciting two-point-conversion tries. For almost the entire first half, the game was boring, ending with the Lions leading 8-0. It was after the intermission that things started to get interesting.
The Lions returned a punt for a touchdown, which seemed to all but seal the game, as the Eagles’ normally fast-paced offense was ineffective. A touchdown before the end of the third quarter brought the Eagles within striking distance of the Lions, and the Eagles’ running game did the rest in the fourth quarter. Running back LeSean McCoy rushed for a franchise-record 217 yards and two touchdowns in the snow, and the Eagles outscored the Lions 28-6 in the final quarter to cap off a convincing win. For those who weren’t able to watch the game, it was a treat; try to watch the highlights if you can.
Speaking of the Lions, star running back Reggie Bush was injured in pregame warm-ups for Sunday’s matchup, and may not be able to start next game against the Baltimore Ravens. If Bush doesn’t suit up, a viable backup running back can be found in Joique Bell, who has performed well in Bush’s absence. Bell has scored a touchdown in three of the past four games. He is owned in 63.6 percent of ESPN leagues, so he may be available in yours. I would consider keeping Bell in mind, especially if your team has injuries to deal with, as there have been a rash of running back injuries in the past few weeks (Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden, just to name a couple).
Shane Vereen seems to be the current favorite running back in New England, even though he doesn’t carry the ball very much. Confused? The explanation is that Vereen has been used as a pass-catching back ever since inheriting the starting gig four weeks ago. While he has had only 24 rushing attempts over the past four weeks (an insanely low average of six attempts per game), he has had 33 receptions, an average of around eight per game.
Eight receptions is somewhat normal for a wide receiver, so he is not slacking in that regard. Vereen has been a Points Per Reception monster these past four weeks, so if you are in such a league, I highly recommend that you add him to your team at once. He is owned in 82.3 percent of ESPN leagues, so there is a chance that he can be in yours.
Both of the Chicago Bears quarterbacks have a juicy matchup against the Cleveland Browns this weekend. If starter Jay Cutler can’t play, backup Josh McCown should continue to flourish with the help of wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery and running back Matt Forte. If he does return from injury, Cutler will be facing a defense that has given up 10 touchdowns and at least 27 points in the past four games. As he is returning from a long absence, Cutler should be available in your league (he is owned only in 50.4 percent of ESPN leagues), and could be a good matchup player for at least one week.
Finally, a recently emerging fantasy player is Keenan Allen of the San Diego Chargers. The big wide receiver, while somewhat ineffective in standard leagues, has torn things up in PPR formats, scoring 21, 16 and 20 points, respectively, over the past three weeks. He probably owes his good play of late to the resurgence of Philip Rivers in San Diego this year, but as long as Rivers stays hot, so should Allen. Allen is owned in 74.4 percent of ESPN leagues, so if you are in a PPR league and are in need of some insurance at the wide receiver position, you may have found your man. There is no guarantee that Allen will continue to produce at the high level he has recently, but I feel that he is worth picking up for at least a week in case he does keep playing well. In the worst-case scenario, you can drop him and pick someone else up next week.
This is my final fantasy football article of the semester, and I would just like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have been reading my articles. It has really been a pleasure writing for you, and I hope to continue to do so next semester. Have a great Christmas and happy holidays, everyone!
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