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 I don't get to your question, either I missed it (it happens) or the rankings are very clear.
A quick note; it's Christmas, as most are aware, for those who celebrate. Column posted today, for its reading value, but I'm probably not going to be able to answer questions until early in the morning on SUNDAY. (I realize there are two games tonight, so I will write slightly longer previews discussing the key players in those games.) I will answer questions very early tomorrow morning, so people have time to make changes if they so choose.
A second quick note: players are going on and off the COVID list on an hourly basis. Somebody who I recommend today might wind up unavailable a day later, and vice-versa. It is what it is; set lineups, but be ready to pivot to different players based on things changing. OK, on to the games.
Browns at Packers: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, those are the automatic starts in this game. No one need ask any questions involving these guys. Nick Chubb is a level below, but probably a starter in most leagues. (Kareem Hunt isn't playing, helping the appeal of Chubb; he should play close to full-time.) Neither group of tight ends looks particularly viable -- nothing connected with Cleveland's passing game does. Even though Baker is apparently playing. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are ranked appropriately. It's a committee, Jones is more likely to be involved as a receiver. If you start Dillon, you're hoping he scores, and odds aren't great.
Colts at Cardinals: James Conner might be playing, but more likely not. If he does, it's a committee with Chase Edmonds. If Conner winds up inactive, which we’re expecting, Edmonds for me slots in about 15th at the position; a nice choice. A.J. Green, Zach Ertz and Christian Kirk viable, as ranked, but Kirk looks best. Colts passing game ranked low because of the way Jonathan Taylor is dominating these days. We've seen it happen lately, so expecting Michael Pittman to catch 6 passes for 80 yards...the Cardinals will need to stop Taylor for that to occur, and that looks like a poor bet.
Giants at Eagles: I presume no one is considering any Giants players, regardless of who starts at quarterback. Maybe Saquon Barkley, as long as you're not relying on him getting in the end zone. Jalen Hurts, assuming he's active (he's been practicing on a limited basis with an ankle injury), is an easy start, but we may need to watch the Sunday morning reports to make sure. Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith too. Miles Sanders is apparently ok to play even though he didn’t practice all week, with Jordan Howard the No. 2, but seems a little uncertain; might be a committee.
Rams at Vikings: No Dalvin Cook, COVID, so Alexander Mattison is viable as a likely full-time player. I seem to get this question a lot but I'll say again: a full-time running back is usually a better option than a guy in a committee. At some point in the average game a ball winds up inside the 5-yard line, and knowing who's going to get that carry is better than wondering which Patriots, Eagles, or Dolphins running back is. For the Rams, it seems like Sony Michel is the guy, but keep in mind last week Darrell Henderson was coming back from injury/COVID, so it's possible he was limited more last week than he will be this week (we've seen that happen on a couple of occasions with guys their first game back from the COVID list). Probably a higher-scoring game, but neither Adam Thielen nor K.J. Osborn looks trustworthy.
Bills at Patriots: Tough matchup for both offenses. Rhamondre, Gabriel and Cole all on the COVID list. Emmanuel Sanders is playing, most likely, and probably the No. 2. For New England, Damien Harris probably the starter (he’s also questionable), seems good as the featured running back. Hunter Henry the most valuable Patriots receiver, I think. Game kind of ravaged by COVID, oh well.
Bucs at Panthers: Love Ronald Jones. Full-time running back. Nobody needs to ask if they should start him. There are no guarantees but 2 of the 4 players we ranked ahead of him on Wednesday aren't playing. For the passing game, Tom Brady and Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski, that's it. For Carolina, no thanks. Not sure DJ Moore (hamstring) is playing. Robby Anderson a what-the-heck flex if Moore is inactive, but investing in Carolina's offense doesn't look good. Committee at running back with Ameer Abdullah looking best, which says all you need to know.
Jaguars at Jets: Fire up James Robinson. A no-doubt starter. Is there anything else appealing in this game? Uh. Neither team has a go-to receiver available. Both rookie quarterbacks have struggled. Nope, still just Robinson. Laviska Shenault on the COVID list, Jamison Crowder doubtful, making Braxton Berrios a what the heck option.
Lions at Falcons: This is a tricky one and it's probably just as well I'm not answering questions on this until Sunday, because by that point there should be more chance of knowing who's actually playing. Sounds like Jared Goff won't be, so it's hands off the Detroit passing game. The tricky part is whether D'Andre Swift is playing or not. If he's active, I guess you need to use him, because he must be healthy enough to play. He's been sidelined for a month and there might be some rust, but A.J. Brown was similar and he looked pretty good against San Francisco. If Swift inactive, I'm expecting a Craig Reynolds-Jamaal Williams committee. As for where I'd rank Swift if he plays...I think somewhere around 20th. I'm not sure he'll get a full workload. Matchup good though. For Atlanta, Pitts-Patterson-Gage, those are the players to consider .
Chargers at Texans: Sounds like no Austin Ekeler, so I'll sign off on Justin Jackson, who should be featured against a bad run defense. And I'm fine using Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams too. For Houston, Brandin Cooks is the viable player, but he’s out with COVID. And that's it. No Houston running backs, because they'll find a way to use 2-3.
Ravens at Bengals: So it will be Tyler Huntley at quarterback. Worth starting, in line with the Friday rankings. Marquise Brown caught 10 passes with him last week, so I guess he's usable too (just don't expect touchdown bombs, Huntley hasn't shown the ability to successfully connect on those. Joe Mixon fine, Bengals passing game should also be fine.
Bears at Seahawks: Forecast calls for snow in this game. Wasn't expecting Seattle to be the snow game on Christmas weekend, but here we are. Neither passing game has been great anyway, and now both teams should run more. David Montgomery, and perhaps Rashaad Penny, though the Seattle ground game is as unpredictable as they come. In general, the Seattle passing game hasn't done enough to get too excited about it, and the snow won't help. Oh and Nick Foles is starting, because why not.
Steelers at Kansas City: Like many, I'm hoping Tyreek Hill and/or Travis Kelce get cleared for this game. Like everyone, I have no idea whether it will actually happen. I don't recommend using the fill-in receivers, any of them. There's no one who can be counted on to catch 6-8 passes in replacing either star; more likely multiple players split looks, Patrick Mahomes spreads it around, etc. No thanks. For Pittsburgh, I perhaps delusionally think Najee Harris will be OK, even though I got burned by the guy last week. Perhaps I overrate him. Still seems safer betting on him than the passing game. Pat Freiermuth (concussion) won’t play.
Broncos at Raiders: Two teams playing out the string, most likely, though I suppose one of these teams could win the last three games and claim a wildcard spot. Really unlikely. Running game for Denver (with Drew Lock at quarterback), Jacobs and Renfrow for Las Vegas. Not counting on good numbers from either team. Raiders on a short week which won't help, and Broncos defense is pretty good.
Football Team at Cowboys: Despite the way Dallas' offense has underperformed lately, it needs to be noted that they had the rough draw of a late-season three-game road trip. They're home, Washington is missing a lot of players, I think the Dallas offense should be better than it's been this week. For Washington, it's not certain Antonio Gibson (toe) will play, or that he'll be good if he does. I picked up Jaret Patterson just in case, but a rough matchup and I'm not sure I'll use him even if Gibson is inactive. Just wanted to have the option. Not the best Sunday night matchup, but they like to give us Dallas in primetime.
Dolphins at Saints: New Orleans will be starting Ian Book at quarterback, and potentially we'll get Blake Bortles if Book is awful. Pass on the New Orleans passing game. For Miami, they'll use a running back committee against a defense a lot better defending the run than the one Duke Johnson ripped up last week. I'm not sure Duke will be featured and not sure he'll have a good day. Go with the rankings, is my advice, or play a hunch if you've got one. But I'm not keen on really anyone in what should be a low-scoring game (and since it's on Monday, you run the risk of a last-minute wave of COVID that you can't do anything about since all the other games have been played). I think I'm starting Mike Gesicki somewhere, but hard to feel good about him. Jaylen Waddle and DeVante Parker the other notable pass catchers. Waddle productive enough that he belongs in lineups, Parker sketchier (good game last week came as the team's only available wideout of any note).
Again, answers/recommendations/explanations coming on Sunday this week. Good luck, and enjoy the games.