Fantasy Football News

In his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, Michael Fabiano notes the Bills defense has "given up the second-most fantasy points to running backs at home this season." FULL START 'EM, SIT 'EM

Impacts: Jackson, who is in a contract year, has been playing well in recent weeks. In fact, he has scored double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four games.

In his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, Michael Fabiano notes the Rams defense has "allowed the third-most total touchdowns and an average of close to 20 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs overall." FULL START 'EM, SIT 'EM

Impacts: Spiller saw fewer touches than Fred Jackson last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that was due to the wet weather conditions. Even if he does split carries, Spiller's explosiveness ranks him among the best starts at the position this week.

In his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, Michael Fabiano notes the Saints defense "has allowed more fantasy points to quarterbacks on the road (22.16 PPG) than any other team in the league." FULL START 'EM, SIT 'EM

Impacts: Manning has been anything but consistent over the last several weeks, but he could be in for a solid fantasy line.

In his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, Michael Fabiano notes "Freeman is a terrific fantasy option this week, as he faces an Eagles defense that has allowed 25-plus fantasy points to quarterbacks in each of the last three weeks." FULL START 'EM, SIT 'EM

Impacts: What's more, this defense has surrendered 15-plus fantasy points to field generals in each of their last seven games. Look for Freeman to join that list this week.

In his "Quarterback Analysis," NFL.com's Gil Brandt notes, "When the Redskins visited the Dallas Cowboys over Thanksgiving, I talked to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, who told me that after Griffin threw at his pro day, his biggest concern was that the Colts would change their mind and pick RG3 first overall in the draft rather than Luck." READ: QUARTERBACK ANALYSIS

Impacts: RG3 might be forced to use his feet in the red zone this week when he squares off against the Baltimore Ravens defense. While the unit ranks 23rd overall against the pass, they've allowed an NFL-fewest 10 passing scores this season. The result could be an opportunity for some six-point plays for the rookie against a defense which has allowed 11 rushing touchdowns.

In his "Quarterback Analysis," NFL.com's Gil Brandt notes, "The highly competitive Newton has a passion for the game. He needs to be in a program with a strong coach, but he can take a team to the Super Bowl. Newton has outstanding arm strength but tends to throw the ball high." READ: QUARTERBACK ANALYSIS

Impacts: Newton had his second-best game of the season in his first matchup against the Falcons, racking up 31.20 fantasy points against them in Week 4. While he's had his rough patches, the quarterback is currently riding a hot streak, scoring no less than 29 points his last two outings.

In his "Quarterback Analysis," NFL.com's Gil Brandt notes, "Wilson is an amazing player with great work habits. He is such a nice guy and works so hard, he's almost too good to be true; he's like a faster and more talented Doug Flutie." READ: QUARTERBACK ANALYSIS

Impacts: Michael Fabiano adds in his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, "He has scored 20-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games, one of which came against the Chicago Bears. Wilson has also put up 16-plus fantasy points in each of his last three games at home."

In his "Quarterback Analysis," NFL.com's Gil Brandt notes, "The extremely competitive Kaepernick has a very strong arm; at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, he threw the ball 59 mph, getting the most velocity on the ball. He can make the big throws but needs to learn to play under control." READ: QUARTERBACK ANALYSIS

Impacts: Michael Fabiano adds in his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, the Dolphins have "allowed the fifth-most passing yards and an average of just under 17 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. That makes the Nevada product a viable sleeper pick."

In his "Quarterback Analysis," NFL.com's Gil Brandt notes, "Dalton doesn't have a great arm, but he's very smart and disciplined. He's got a quick release, good accuracy and can make big plays when needed. He took the Bengals to the playoffs in 2011 with an average supporting cast, and has big-game experience." READ: QUARTERBACK ANALYSIS

Impacts: After scoring no less than 20 fantasy points his previous three games, Dalton struggled against the Chargers last week, scoring 14.94 points. He will face another test this week against the Cowboys 10th ranked pass defense.

The Arizona Cardinals will make a quarterback change this week. Again. John Skelton has returned to the Cardinals' starting lineup, KGME-AM's Mike Jurecki reported. Skelton was made the starter after the preseason, started the season opener, got hurt, lost his job, got the job back, got hurt again and now will make his fifth start of the year. FULL REPORT

Impacts: Michael Fabiano adds in his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, "A total of 37 wide receivers have more fantasy points than the struggling star. He has a combined five catches, 65 yards and no touchdowns in his last three games, and there's no end in sight to his statistical decline. Oh, and John Skelton is back as the Cardinals quarterback."

NFL.com's "10 Mind-Blowing Stats from Week 14" notes, "This season, Peyton Manning has completed 44.7 percent of his pass attempts to travel at least 20 yards in the air, the highest completion percentage in his career on passes of that distance. His previous high came in 2004 (43.8), the year he won his second NFL MVP award." READ: MIND-BLOWING STATS

Impacts: Fantasy editor Marcas Grant puts it simply in his "TNF Matchup" breakdown; "There's no need to look at the numbers -- you know you're starting Peyton Manning." The Raiders have allowed an average of 19.19 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

NFL.com's "10 Mind-Blowing Stats from Week 14" notes, "The Chargers, who visit the Steelers in Week 14, are 0-14 all-time in regular-season games in Pittsburgh. No team in NFL history has more regular-season road losses to an opponent without a single win." READ: MIND-BLOWING STATS

Impacts: Rivers hasn't scored more than 13.21 fantasy points his last three matchups and is unlikely to find much success against the Steelers' top ranked secondary. The unit is allowing an average of just 166 passing yards per game and 13 touchdowns this season.

NFL.com's "10 Mind-Blowing Stats from Week 14" notes, "Peterson leads the NFL with 1,446 rushing yards, the second most in a single season of his career. To reach 2,000, Peterson needs to average 138.5 rushing yards in his final four games. He has averaged 157.8 in his last six games. The Vikings close the season against the Bears, Rams, Texans and Packers; all four are in the upper half of the league in rushing defense." READ: MIND-BLOWING STATS

Impacts: Peterson posted 11.80 points against the Bears in Week 12, a performance which could have been better had he not lost a fumble during the contest. Expect him to carry a heavy load with Percy Harvin now on the I.R.

All signs point to Ben Roesthlisberger returning to the field this week for the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's the only takeaway possible after listening to coach Mike Tomlin's comments on Wednesday. "I saw him make the necessary throws today," Tomlin said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, calling the performance "positive." FULL REPORT

Impacts: Roethlisberger could be making his return against the vulnerable Chargers 21st ranked defense which has allowed 21 passing scores this season. Being back under center would also boost the values of Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, each has struggled during his absence.

In his "Week 14 Power Rankings" analysis, Elliot Harrison notes, "the Bucs have outscored opponents by 48 points and have been more consistent this season. The Bucs are gonna need as many points as possible going forward, considering they have road games against the explosive Saints and Falcons on the horizon." FULL POWER RANKINGS

Impacts: A matchup against the Eagles 16th ranked pass defense should get Josh Freeman and the likes of Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams back on track. The Eagles have allowed 23 passing scores and just seven interceptions this season.

A league source told the Chicago Sun-Times that receiver Earl Bennett is likely to miss this weekend's game against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a concussion in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. FULL REPORT

Impacts: The scenario at wideout remains ugly for the Bears. Devin Hester is fighting his way back from a concussion and rookie Alshon Jeffery has missed time after having his knee scoped. There's hope both of those pass-catchers will be ready to play Sunday. Brandon Marshall should continue to be heavily targeted, making him well worth plugging in your lineup regardless of the matchup.

The Vikings placed Harvin on injured reserve Wednesday with an ankle injury that never recovered. Reports suggested that Harvin suffered a ligament tear. FULL REPORT

Impacts: Harvin caught 62 passes for 677 yards in nine games for one of the worst passing attacks in the league before hurting his ankle against the Seahawks on November 4. Kyle Rudolph becomes the Vikings top passing threat, notching no less than 11.10 points his last three games in Harvin's absence.

The Vikings have placed Harvin (ankle) on IR, Dan Wiederer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Impacts: A huge loss for the 6-6 Vikings, with Harvin's season officially over with him having recorded 62 catches, 677 yards and three receiving TDs to go along with 22 carries for 96 yards with a rushing TD in nine games. With Harvin out, Jarius Wright figures to see extra targets in the Minnesota offense going forward.

Jackson (calf) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, the Tampa Tribune reports.

Impacts: Over the last three games, Jackson has hauled in just over 50 percent of the passes thrown his way -- 14 catches on 26 targets -- though his absence would still likely be a blow to owners entering the fantasy playoffs. At the moment, there is no word on the severity of the injury, but Friday's report should relay whether he'll be able to take the field Sunday against Philadelphia.

Marshall (coach's decision) was limited in practice Wednesday, the Bear's official site reports.

Impacts: Marshall recently dealt with a minor shoulder concern, but he was likely just given the day off by coach Lovie Smith in order to rest. With 22 catches (on 31 targets) for 257 yards but no scores over the last two games, he has been able to produce against two above-average secondaries in Minnesota and Seattle. Be sure to monitor his status as the weekend draws near.

Amendola (foot) did not practice Wednesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impacts: After donning a walking boot most of last week and sitting out this past weekend's win over San Francisco, Amendola's lack of participation is not particularly encouraging at the moment. However, Friday's injury report should shed light on his availability Sunday at Buffalo.

Coach Leslie Frazier said Harvin won't practice Wednesday. He severely sprained his left ankle on Nov. 4 at Seattle and has missed three games since. The Vikings play the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but Frazier sounded pessimistic about Harvin's return. The coach said it's "hard to say" when asked if Harvin's season could be over. FULL REPORT

Impacts: With the Vikings NFL worst passing offense squaring off against the Bears seventh ranked pass defense, don't expect much production from Christian Ponder. TE Kyle Rudolph could post some decent totals due to sheer volume of targets, but expect Adrian Peterson to carry the offense.

Roethlisberger (ribs/shoulder) went through a full practice Wednesday that coach Mike Tomlin deemed "positive," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Ed Bouchette reports. "I saw him make the necessary throws today," Tomlin said after practice Wednesday.

Impacts: Tomlin noted that next test for Roethlisberger will be to see how the QB feels on Thursday after getting a practice in, but for the moment, it appears as though Big Ben is on track to return to action Sunday against the Chargers after missing the Steelers' past three games.

Skelton will start at quarterback this Sunday at Seattle, the Cardinals' official site reports.

Impacts: Skelton will make his fifth start of the season, and first since Week 9, though he has not performed up to par, completing just 54.7 percent of his throws with a 2:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Ironically enough, he's returning to the field against the same team that knocked him out in Week 1 with a high ankle sprain that kicked off the Cardinals' carousel at quarterback in 2012.

McFadden (ankle) is listed as probable for Thursday's game against the Broncos.

Impacts: McFadden practiced fully Wednesday for the first time since Week 9, and with him listed as probable, there's no reason to think he will not return to action this week. The Raiders have not announced how they will used McFadden in his first game back, but at this point, fantasy owners should be more concerned about the number of carries he will see than his health.

In his "All-22" analysis, Bucky Brooks notes, "The majority of No. 1 corners in the NFL lack the versatility and skill to play in the slot; thus, the decision to have Welker, Gronkowski and Hernandez primarily run routes between the numbers allows New England to avoid the opponent's top pass defender most of the time." READ: ALL-22

Impacts: While the Texans do pose a challenge as a whole, the secondary has been less than stellar, allowing an average of 235 yards per game and 20 passing scores this season. Regardless of the matchup on paper, the league's top ranked scoring offense makes Welker and Hernandez good plays.

In his "All-22" analysis, Bucky Brooks notes, "Brady has compiled a 102.6 passer rating while completing 64.8 percent of his passes with 25 touchdowns against just four interceptions. Most impressively, he has seven 300-yard games and has tossed at least two touchdowns in eight of the Patriots' 12 contests." READ: ALL-22

Impacts: Michael Fabiano says not to be swayed by the matchup in his Week 14 Fantasy Mailbag. "While he does have a tough matchup on paper, keep in mind that Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Chad Henne have all scored 20-plus fantasy points against the Houston Texans. If Brady joins that list and you have him on the bench, well, that will make for a long fantasy offseason!"

Green will be "leaned on" to carry Green Bay's running game due to James Starks' knee injury, the team's official site reports.

Impacts: Coach Mike McCarthy said that Green likely played his "best game of [the] year" in Week 13 against Minnesota, when he rushed 12 times for 58 yards (4.8 YPC) and caught one pass for 12 yards. The team re-signed Ryan Grant to provide depth in the backfield, though he is unlikely to usurp much of the workload from Green.

Starks (knee) will be out "multiple weeks," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Impacts: Starks took a shot to his right knee late in Sunday's win over Minnesota, which flared up Monday. Since he may be sidelined for the rest of the season, Green Bay re-signed Ryan Grant on Wednesday to provide depth at running back. However, Alex Green will now take on much of the load in the Packers' running game.

NFL.com's Adam Schein notes, "Reggie Wayne is a dominant rock at receiver. He's enjoyed a fantastic 2012 season, even changing positions and where he lines up. Wayne immediately established a fine rapport with his rookie quarterback, despite having caught passes from the iconic Peyton Manning over the first 10 seasons of his career. It is a credit to Luck that Wayne hasn't missed a beat." READ: WHY LUCK GETS MY MVP VOTE

Impacts: The Wayne/Luck connection should have continued success this week against a Titans defense which ranks 26th against the pass, allowing 24 touchdowns compared to just 10 interceptions.

In his analysis of Andrew Luck, NFL.com's Adam Schein states the rookie will get his vote for MVP this season. "The Colts have the third-best offense in the NFL. Luck is fourth in passing yards. This is stunning. This is value. This is carrying a team." FULL STORY

Impacts: As Michael Fabiano notes in his Week 14 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, "Luck is coming off a monster stat line against the Detroit Lions, and this week's matchup against the Titans makes him an attractive fantasy option once again. Their defense has allowed 24 touchdown passes this season, which is tied for second most in the league. Luck also scored just under 17 fantasy points against them back in Week 8."

Nelson (hamstring) is not practicing Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Impacts: Nelson aggravated his hamstring injury in Week 13, and as coach Mike McCarthy noted Monday, he'll be "pressed" to play this Sunday against Detroit. Green Bay would be best served holding him back until he is fully healthy, so it would be a bit of a surprise if he was able to take the field this coming weekend. However, we'll watch his practice participation throughout the week.

Green Bay Packers running back James Starks injured his knee on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and might be placed on season-ending injured reserve, according to a report Tuesday night on ESPN Milwaukee. FULL REPORT

Impacts: Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com reports that Grant is headed back to the team, with Grant as the source for the report. (Pretty reliable.) The news follows Tuesday's report that James Stark could be placed on season-ending injured reserve.

It has been confirmed that Grant has signed with the Packers, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

Impacts: With James Starks likely heading to injured reserve, it makes perfect sense for Green Bay to add Grant to the mix, given his experience in the Packers' offense. Though he's slated to work behind presumed starter Alex Green, Grant might be worth a speculative dart for those looking to add running back depth for the stretch run, but the veteran back has much to prove before he can be considered as a late-season lineup plug-in in any format.

Coach Rex Ryan has decided to stick with Sanchez over Tim Tebow and Greg McElroy as the Jets' starting QB for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Impacts: Once Sanchez was yanked after throwing three first half picks against the Cardinals in Week 13, there was plenty of speculation that Ryan would change his Sanchez "gives us the best chance to win" tune, but with a banged-up Tebow and inexperienced McElroy as alternatives, Sanchez will get a shot Sunday to bounce back against the 2-10 Jags, who are allowing 260.9 passing yards per game to date.

Starks is reportedly dealing with a knee injury that he suffered Sunday against the Vikings and could land on the IR, ESPN Wisconsin reports.

Impacts: While the report indicates that Starks didn't tear his ACL, with just four weeks left in the regular season, the Packers may decide to place him on IR, rather than hold his roster spot. We'll await verification of this nugget, but assuming the report is accurate, then backfield mate Alex Green gets an immediate bump in fantasy value.

Julian Edelman has played his final snap of the 2012 season for the New England Patriots. Edelman, the team's fourth wide receiver and primary punt returner, has a broken foot that could require surgery, according to WBZ-TV. Edelman was moved to injured reserve on Tuesday.

Impacts: Edelman had become a pretty reliable flex option in recent weeks, so his loss might be felt by more than a few fantasy owners. The WR does some of the same things in the offense as Wes Welker, so look for some of those extra targets to go Welker's direction.

The Detroit Lions placed their troubled wide receiver on injured reserve Tuesday, a convenient move that works for all parties involved.

Impacts: We're not sure what injury Young suffered, unless overinflated ego is a thing. Either way, the big winner in this is Mike Thomas. With Ryan Broyles out for the season with a knee injury, Thomas is now Detroit's No. 2 receiver.

The Seahawks waived/injured Braylon Edwards on Tuesday in a surprise move.

Impacts: The timing of it is a surprise, but considering Edwards' lack of production this season, it won't have a big fantasy impact -- expect to end up as a couple of extra targets for Sidney Rice and Golden Tate.