Thursday night has been awful for fantasy owners this year (save Andre Brown's monster game in Week 2). And Eric Decker has been a thorn in the side of fantasy owners for the last four weeks, where he has had fewer than 65 receiving yards in each of these contests.
So could this be a week where the two opposites attract and make one great, gigantic points bonanza?
Uh, sure.
Decker's reemergence on the fantasy wasteland of Thursday night makes for a good theory. It's a lot of fun. It's something you could certainly explore if it weren't the first week of the playoffs. The playoffs aren't the time when I'm going with a "he's due" hunch.
Of course, you could just want to play the matchup. The Raiders have allowed the eighth most fantasy points to receivers this year and 16 touchdown receptions to receivers. That's good for third in the league. Decker also has a receiving touchdown in back-to-back games with the Raiders. So the matchup is top notch.
Now if you ask me, I'm going to keep Decker on the bench. So he's going to have at least 20 fantasy points. I have Wes Welker and Randall Cobb. I flexed Knowshon Moreno. And even if I needed another receiver, I could have used Marques Colston.
The anxiety was too much. And in the end, I have a feeling I'm going to be most bummed about Colston on the bench. Hey, I'm not the Fantasy Fraidy-cat for nothing.
Let's take a look at the rest of the guys on the Fantasy Anxiety Meter.
Peyton Manning
Outside of a few rough starts early this season, he's had fewer than 14 fantasy points only once this year. Manning has 285 passing yards in five consecutive road games. The Raiders have allowed 24 pass touchdowns this season (second in the league) and at least three touchdown passes in seven of their last nine games.
Fantasy anxiety meter: Doesn't register.
Knowshon Moreno
We were all dealt a curveball when Moreno was inserted into fantasy lineups in the wake of Willis McGahee's injury. Moreno has scored at least eight fantasy points in back-to-back games. The Raiders have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns in their last five games and have given up a ton of yards.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 40 percent
Demaryius Thomas
Thomas has been the apple of Manning's eye in recent weeks, with at least 10 fantasy points in four consecutive games. He's had four touchdown receptions in his last three games. That was the rub with Thomas. Decker was getting the touchdowns and Thomas had the yards. Now Thomas has the touchdowns and the yards.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 20 percent
Jacob Tamme
Tamme benefitted from Brandon Stokley's absence and had a solid outing against the Buccaneers in Week 13. And imagine how much better he would have been if Manning hadn't thrown the ball to one of his defensive linemen. But still, it's a tight end on Thursday night. Even if it is Peyton Manning, you can't feel comfortable.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 80 percent
Rank's 11
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Carson Palmer
The king of garbage points, Palmer has averaged 238 yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions in his career against the Broncos. Denver has allowed eight touchdown passes in the last seven home games, and have seven interceptions in the last three games at Oakland. Palmer, though, has been solid at home with at least 16 points in each game. But still, this is the playoffs.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 40 percent
Marcel Reece
The darling of fantasy football just a few weeks ago, he's dealt with hamstring injuries this week as well as the return of Darren McFadden. He might not even be worth a roster spot at this point.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 100 percent
Denarius Moore
The most-played receiver for the Raiders, he's had eight fantasy points or less in three consecutive games. And fewer than seven points in three straight home games. Again, this is the playoffs.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 100 percent
Brandon Myers
Now this has been the stud of the Raiders lineup in recent weeks. He had 14(!) receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown last week. He had 15 targets, so he caught all but one pass thrown his way. The Broncos have allowed the second-most points to tight ends this season. I don't see how you can bench him unless you have Jimmy Graham and Aaron Hernandez. Even if it is a tight end on Thursday night.
Fantasy anxiety meter: 40 percent
