Every Saturday morning, I'll take a quick look at all the week's games, offering my own brief 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 lineup 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 take precedence. But sometimes players are very close, and in those cases I'm glad to offer opinions on how I'd approach those situations. Sometimes I like certain players more or less than Ian, and sometimes I have different risk tolerance with injuries etc.
If your question doesn't get answered, it's possible the rankings are very clear on those choices. I'm not going to disregard all our work to recommend somebody 15 spots below somebody else. Fair? OK, on to the games.
Texans at Bucs: Should be a lot of passing in this game. Nobody needs to ask any Breshad Perriman questions. If I had him, I'd start him and take my chances, period. Decided NOT to use Justin Watson. He's the No. 2 wideout but I fear he'll be behind Perriman, both tight ends and maybe a running back for targets, I'm looking elsewhere. Love the Texans passing game, Hopkins and Fuller are starters. Will pass on the running backs.
Bills at Patriots: This should be a lower-scoring game, and I'm steering clear of everyone. Josh Allen, John Brown, James White...not using them. Probably Julian Edelman would be the only guy if I actually had him anywhere. Devin Singletary should be the main running back for Buffalo. And the New England defense.
Rams at 49ers: Cool on the Rams passing game -- both passing games, actually, with exception of George Kittle. Raheem Mostert and Todd Gurley look viable. Considering sitting Cooper Kupp, who I start every week, although it's hard to actually make the switch to a guy like Russell Gage. But I might. Rams offense was a disaster in the earlier meeting and I can't see it getting much better at San Francisco.
Giants at Washington: Both running games look good. Giants have all their receivers healthy (except Evan Engram) which makes things difficult because someone sure to get left out. Darius Slayton looks like the best bet given how productive he's been, but no one can guarantee he gets outperforms Shepard or Tate. Using Terry McLaurin against a bad Giants secondary, yes.
Saints at Titans: Saints aren't as good on the road as we point out regularly. Brees-Thomas-Jared Cook and the scoreless wonder Alvin Kamara, who will probably score twice this week. Titans passing game and Derrick Henry, sure.
Steelers at Jets: I'm using James Conner without feeling great about it. Steelers are going to run it and use short passes even with the Jets being really tough on the run. Jets soft against the pass but if you feel good about Pittsburgh's passing game I'm not sure what to say. Jets offense against Pittsburgh's defense unappealing. Even the revenge game element doesn't get me overly excited about LeVeon Bell.
Bengals at Dolphins: Good matchup for both ground games, and it's supposed to be rainy and windy, lots of reason to shy away from passing games. You have to use DeVante Parker and Tyler Boyd is also viable, but that's about where things end.
Panthers at Colts: Carolina has one of the worst run defenses we've seen in recent years. Marlon Mack is ranked really high and if you ask a Mack question the answer will be to start him. I think that's basically the Cliff Notes version of this game. Zero interest in Carolina's passing game with Will Grier at quarterback and minimal interest in Indy's with the idea that they'll run a ton.
Ravens at Browns: If I'm the Ravens I try to run up a big score early and get key guys like Lamar and Ingram off the field, then send the defense after Mayfield and company. Browns have Chubb and Hunt and a couple of big-name wide receivers who are having surgery after the season. I don't know what to make of these "come get me" reports that players are supposedly yelling to opposing sidelines but some of it sounds like fiction.
Jaguars at Falcons: I like the Falcons playing out the string, at home, against a mailing it in defense a lot more than I like the Jaguars doing so on the road. Leonard Fournette and maybe DJ Chark are about where my interest ends with Jacksonville. Using Ryan, Hooper, Jones and Freeman and mulling Russell Gage.
Raiders at Chargers: DeAndre Washington should be featured, but I don't think it's without risk; Jalen Richard is there, and the Chargers defense has generally been pretty good. Chargers offense looks fine but their general unreliability and turnover-prone ways work against them a little. Start the big names but no one can claim to be surprised if they disappoint. Using Darren Waller though I'd have liked him better if Hunter Renfrow were out.
Lions at Broncos: Detroit comically inept against the pass, so Denver's passing game has value. The Lions are also absurdly banged-up on offense, so I think Kenny Golladay is about the only player to consider. Steer clear of the running back mess. Denver running game should also be fine.
Cardinals at Seahawks: Great matchup for Seattle's offense. Not a terrible matchup for Arizona's, except for the fact that they did very little when they faced this defense earlier in the season. Christian Kirk a game-day decision, making it tough to risk using him. Kenyan Drake, hot hand, tough to sit that down, but he won't score multiple touchdowns again. Wilson, Lockett, Metcalf, Hollister and Carson, yes.
Cowboys at Eagles: Big game, and I like both offenses; Elliott, Sanders, Prescott, Wentz, Cooper, maybe Gallup and even Greg Ward for Philly (although more risky), obvs Ertz and perhaps Goedert. Why we couldn't get this as the primetime game rather than Kansas City-Chicago is frustrating. I know, Fox probably protected it. Was there not another game we could have got in primetime, though. Seriously, Chicago has been in primetime about eight times and they're godawful bad to watch. Whatever. Should be a good game.
Kansas City at Chicago: Mahomes, Hill, Kelce. Damien Williams first and LeSean McCoy second if you have to use a Kansas City running back. Chicago offense there's Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller and I think Tarik Cohen more than David Montgomery. PPR at least. But not particularly high on Chicago. Currently have Miller in a lineup but waffling.
Packers at Vikings: So Mike Boone is going to start. If you picked him up, the upside makes him worth starting. It's not without risk, Ameer Abdullah might play in passing situations, and Green Bay might get a lead, reducing Boone's impact. No one can promise you anything. But I personally am using him and hoping it works out. For Green Bay, Rodgers-Adams-Aaron Jones are the guys who need to come up big. Should be a fun game. I think both teams are going to the playoffs so not quite as big as you might expect, aside from bragging right and a home playoff game.
Good luck, and enjoy the games.