Every Saturday morning, I'll take a quick look at all the week's games, offering my own take on what I think will happen, as well as touching on significant injury news since our Weekly came out. I'll check in every so often over the course of the day to answer questions, too.
What follows is a brief look at all the games with how I'd react in my own lineups to injury developments or other news. The official rankings are the ones in the Weekly. Those are the ones that subscribers are paying for. Sometimes players are very close in the rankings, and if I get questions like that, I'll offer opinions. Sometimes I like certain players more or less than Ian, and sometimes I have different risk tolerance with injuries/weather issues, etc.
A note: This is it. In my mind, Week 16 is not the week to get crazy with starting nobodies over guys who got you to where you are. I don't love the matchup for the Jacksonville defense this week. Or Todd Gurley. But they've been great all year, they're why I'm in the Super Bowl, and if I think about sitting them down, it had better be because I have another option who's been great all year and is part of why I'm in the Super Bowl. Also, weather matters. If I'm considering using say Case Keenum tonight, you had best believe I will be watching the pregame from Green Bay to see just how frigid and uncomfortable the players look. If I think it's going to be an Ice Bowl with players moving slowly and incapable of airing it out downfield, I will be shying away from Keenum and Stefon Diggs as long as I have a comparable option in the rankings.
And finally: we put a lot of work into the rankings. They're based on projections drawn from how players have done all year, how defenses have performed all year, and how the matchups have gone. I trust them, so when in doubt between two comparable players, use the rankings! Then you can blame us.
Colts at Ravens: I don't think I have any interest in any Colts in this one. Jack Doyle in PPR, that's about it. For the Ravens, Alex Collins and Mike Wallace have value, perhaps Javorius Allen in deeper leagues. Should be all Ravens.
Vikings at Packers: I think Adam Thielen and Latavius Murray are the must-starts here. Really want nothing to do with any Packers -- any Packers. It will be really cold, which could work against Case Keenum; why he moved down in the Friday update. I expect the Packers will play hard, but their lack of true commitment to the cause was shown by putting Rodgers on IR.
Bucs at Panthers: Carolina very good against the run, so I'd stay away from Peyton Barber. Not as good against the pass, so Winston-Evans-Brate have value. Bucs aren't good against anything and they're on the road, so thumbs up on the Panthers offense. No weather issues in Charlotte. Had a Cam Newton-Devonta Freeman team bounced from the playoffs last week by 2 points, improbably. Grr.
Browns at Bears: Weather could be a factor, and I can't imagine investing in either passing game if it were played in a dome. No, not Josh Gordon either. But Jordan Howard looks good, and so do the Browns running backs. I don't really understand how Hue Jackson might keep his job. Maybe he has a good offensive mind, but he's a lousy head coach. I am not sure how this is debatable.
Lions at Bengals: With Theo Riddick apparently healthy, the Tion Green appeal has gone away. Another game where the Lions passing game looks great, because that's what they do. Am hoping Marvin Jones has one last great game in him for those of us who believed in him. For the Bengals, Joe Mixon and A.J. Green are in lineups and that's probably about it.
Dolphins at Kansas City: On the one hand, the Kansas City defense has been bad in a lot of games. On the other, it's played better at home, the game means something to them (apparently Miami is technically alive for a playoff spot, but c'mon) and the Dolphins are led by Jay Cutler, who sometimes rises up with a nice game but more commonly looks like he just want to get through the game without getting hit. Damien Williams is doubtful, though, so Kenyan Drake should have another good week as a full-time guy. Kelce, Hunt and Hill all look great.
Bills at Patriots: Bills have been really good against the pass this season. They are more likely to give up touchdowns on the ground than through the air. So keep that in mind if you have Tom Brady, who's been a little down the last few weeks anyway (hint: he's OLD), close with somebody else. You don't sit him down for just anybody, but don't assume he goes for 300 yards and 3 TDs just because he's a top 10 or 15 QB all-time (yeah, yeah, I know he's higher). LeSean McCoy is the only Bill to consider highly, maybe Charles Clay. I'm not willing to count on Mike Gillislee except in TD-only, where theoretically he could punch one in. Dion Lewis, though, looks great to me. And Gronk, though heaven forbid a defender play him tough as opposed to letting him lope free over the middle of the field like Pittsburgh late last week. I'd avoid Chris Hogan.
Falcons at Saints: The matchup stirs images of a wild shootout, but that was not how the earlier meeting went, and not how Atlanta's games have gone all season. So just be warned, something like 24-20 is a possibility. But I think you start your usual players and hope they're the ones scoring the touchdowns. One more week, Mark Ingram, one more week.
Chargers at Jets: Weather doesn't seem like it will be too bad for this one, good for those of us counting on Philip Rivers. Jets have Bryce Petty at quarterback and that's a downer for their offense, plus the matchup. Hopefully they're competitive enough that Philip needs to keep slinging it. I picked up Antonio Gates in DYNASTY this week, that's something that doesn't happen too often.
Rams at Titans: Weather and the Rams passing game should be fine. Maybe Gurley doesn't run wild, but I can't imagine having the kind of depth to sit him down. Guys coming off 4-TD games play in my lineup. He'll be involved as a receiver, and oh yeah the Titans are slowly realizing they're a bad team. Rams should be fine.
Broncos at Washington: So it should be Brock Osweiler at quarterback, helping Demaryius Thomas, and C.J. Anderson has re-emerged as the top running back. And Washington probably won't have Samaje Perine, so Kapri Bibbs is your desperation play (but please don't ask me if you should start him over Gurley). Jamison Crowder showed up as questionable, gotta make sure he's active before using him (against a good secondary anyway).
Jaguars at 49ers: Lot of Jimmy Garoppolo love this week. I understand it, but am hoping a matchup with a really good defense will force him into a mistake or two. Not a great situation for Marquise Goodwin, though at least the Jaguars have been a little softer of late. For Jacksonville, I'd be using Leonard Fournette, but am not sure there's an elite-type receiver; just a bunch of good ones.
Giants at Cardinals: Have to pick between Engram and Shepard for a flex position. Engram's catches are worth 1.5 points, so he's the one I'm going with. But both have potential. No real interest in either running game, since both could use three players. For the Cardinals, Larry Fitzgerald appears even higher in the PPR rankings than I expected, but he's their passing game and the Giants don't have much of a defense. I think those are the players to be using in this meaningless contest.
Seahawks at Cowboys: I see that the loser of this game is out of the playoffs. Things aren't great for the winner, either, though I guess they'll still be technically alive. Neither team looks great on defense these days. I had Elliott on my bench the last six weeks in a league, so yes I'm using him. I think he'll get 25 touches, easy. I also like Wilson, Prescott, the main wideouts -- these guys should be busy in what is kind of a playoff game.
Steelers at Texans: It's the day of Christmas! says Gary Busey. Speaking of tangential Christmas movies, showed my 12-year-old Diehard last night. Way more cursing and a few more boobs than I remembered. But it holds up OK, beyond my thinking Alan Rickman's plan was a little more convoluted than is reasonable. Oh yeah, Steelers-Texans. DeAndre Hopkins and to a lesser extent Lamar Miller can be used. For Pittsburgh I love Smith-Schuster in this matchup. And I think I like Big Ben a little bit more than the rankings.
Raiders at Eagles: I've pretty much moved away from considering any Raiders. Marshawn Lynch will struggle against Philly's top run defense. Amari Cooper can't be used with any confidence. Jared Cook generally doesn't score. Crabtree is about it. With the Eagles, I'm using Ertz. Weather (cold, wind) puts a hit on the Eagles passing game, but I'm fine with Foles and Jeffery and Agholor. As noted earlier in the week, I'm hoping the Vikings win in Green Bay so the Eagles have to win this one to clinch the NFC's top seed.
Feel free to ask questions. I'll answer as best I can. Again: when in doubt, trust your gut, and failing that, trust the rankings, because we spend a lot of time on these things. Good luck, and enjoy the games.