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Marcas Grant: Welp, it's the good ol' difference between fantasy and reality. The Seahawks are still one of the most feared defenses in the league and are currently ranked fifth in the NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (317.8), but that number is up from last season when the 'Hawks were allowing fewer than 300 yards per contest. Yet none of that matters for fantasy purposes. The biggest difference is that Seattle isn't forcing turnovers at the same rate as in past seasons. In 2013, the Seahawks forced more than two turnovers per game. This season? They have three -- total. They've also registered just six sacks, tying them for 24th in the league. There's no doubt that this defense is still getting it done on the field, but they're not doing the little things that make them fantasy-friendly. Take this as a lesson to any of you who reached to draft a defense in the middle rounds.
M.G.: I was floored at how many times I saw this question in the past 24 hours. Who knew people were so big on kickers? There's no reason not to make a play for Prater. Everything lines up well for him in this situation -- he's an accurate kicker with a strong leg who now gets to play for a wide open offense that spends half of its season IN A DOME. You can't really ask for much more than that. Plus, there will be opportunities. The Lions are tied for the sixth-most field goals attempted in the NFL. Getting into field goal range hasn't been a problem for Detroit. The issue has been ... you know, making them. Prater should change that.
M.G.:Austin Davis has turned himself into a pretty nice sleeper option in the past couple of weeks and could perform well against San Francisco on Monday night. The Niners will allow some yards through the air thanks to a secondary that struggles with big receivers, meaning Brian Quick could be trouble. But I'd rather go with Kaepernick in this situation. It might be surprising to learn that the Rams have just one sack all season long. Yeah, I typed that right. One. Sack. All season long. That's not a good omen when you're facing a quarterback that likes to get out and run. Kapernick might produce more with his legs than with his arm this week -- although the Rams have struggled against fantasy receivers -- but numbers are numbers, right? Right.
M.G.: This feels like making a trade for the sake of making a trade. I'm against that on general principle. I get being worried that Andy Reid seems to forget that Jamaal Charles is on his team since Reid just apologized for neglecting the back for the second time this season. But it's worth believing this apology tour won't turn into a trilogy. As long as Charles is getting the ball, both he and Forte should have similar production. It's worth just standing pat on this one.
M.G.: This week is all about Golden Tate. Calvin Johnson isn't at full strength as he deals with a high ankle sprain. If Johnson is on the field, he'll be a decoy. If Johnson is out, Tate will see a ton of targets. Actually, either way Tate is likely to see a ton of targets. Quick isn't a bad option (see above) and Wallace could still have the ball thrown his way quite a bit, but this week I expect Tate to be, well, golden.
M.G.: I never thought I'd say this ... you can do better than Patterson for Smith. Smith's numbers aren't spectacular, but he's a solid QB2 averaging nearly 16 fantasy points per game. Right now, Patterson is so far from being a WR2, he'd need binoculars to see it. He's averaging 6.9 points per week but most of that is on the strength of one big week -- much of which came on one big play. If you're really intent on dealing Alex Smith, set your sights a little higher. Try making a run at someone like T.Y. Hilton, Sammy Watkins or even Reggie Wayne.
M.G.: The Raiders defense has been #ungood this season, but surprisingly they've been fairly stingy against fantasy wideouts. On top of that, Allen is likely to face off against Charles Woodson who has been Oakland's best cover corner this season. This comes one week after Jets corner Dee Milliner helped limit Allen to 25 receiving yards. This could be another nice week for Malcom Floyd and Eddie Royal, but I'm starting to get concerned about Allen. Generally speaking, I'm usually concerned with guys playing on Thursday night, but running backs at home are usually a safer play. I'd go with Bradshaw in this situation.
M.G.: Why does Fantasy Nation not believe in Dwyane Allen? He's owned in just 39.8 percent of NFL.com fantasy leagues despite being in the top 10 at his position. Allen has been better than Ertz, Heath Miller, Jason Witten and Vernon Davis just to name a few. He's also become a favorite red zone target for Andrew Luck, who is arguably playing the quarterback position better than anyone in the league right now. I implore you ... PLEASE LOVE DWAYNE ALLEN!
M.G.: These two have posted nearly identical fantasy numbers this season and have fairly similar matchups this week, making this a very tough call. In this one, I'm rolling with Roethlisberger by virtue that his top pass-catcher, Antonio Brown, is better than anyone Flacco has to toss the football to. When you factor in that Joe Haden has struggled in coverage this season, Big Ben could strike for big numbers in Week 6.
M.G.: I'll never tell anyone how to enjoy their fantasy season, but if you're looking for a super mega challenge, then 16-team leagues are for you. The cons are that it makes for tough times on the waiver wire when you're forced to choose between Brandon LaFell and Kenny Britt for your WR3 spot, but it can truly be a test of your NFL knowledge. Whatever floats your boat, man.
Bonus question:
M.G.: Sigh.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy editor for NFL.com and a man who's going to have a long winter. Tweet him something cheery or fantasy football questions @MarcasG.
