The Adams Family

Week 15 Loves & Hates

I decided to switch up my format for the last couple weeks of the playoffs to bring you more names rather than my write ups. I will still be writing up one player per role, but there will also be a list of other players I like for the week ahead. Enjoy, and I hope you like the content. As always be sure to follow the blog by clicking on the three lines in the top right and putting in your email. Also if you are on twitter be sure to follow me @B_FFootball. Thanks again for the support and good luck in your playoffs. Go Pack Go.

Loves

QBs

Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Jared Goff (Rams)

Matthew Stafford (Lions)

Ryan Tannehill (Titans)- With all of the deficiencies the Lions have on defense I expect the likes of Tannehill and A.J. Brown to connect early and often. Last week the Lions faced off against the Packers and to my surprise, they limited Aaron Jones and the Packers RBs to a modest day. However, in doing so they neglected the passing game and allowed Rodgers to throw to whoever he wished. Tannehill is not the same level of QB as Rodgers, but I would expect the Lions to try and slow down Derrick Henry and have Tannehill beat them with his arm. Although this is speculation about how the Lions will proceed, the fact that the Lions have been one of the worst teams against QBs and WRs makes this one almost a no brainer. With the Lions giving up 1133 passing yards, 9 TDs, with 2 Ints in four weeks is a good sign. Plus like Rodgers, Tannehill is willing to use his legs to extend plays or even run. 

Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

RBs

Derrick Henry (Titans)

J.K Dobbins/Gus Edwards (Ravens)

Jonathan Taylor (Colts)- No matter if you look at a season long trend, the last four weeks, or even the last two weeks, the Texans are absolutely terrible against RBs. And now, it looks like the Colts finally figured out how to use their phenomenal rookie RB Taylor. In his last three games played Taylor has registered 15.40, 22.50, and 30.50 points. One of these scores, (22.50) was against the Texans in Week 13. But, with the Colts allowing Taylor to get a majority of the touches and show his ability I think this could be another very good day for him. Over the the last four weeks the Texans have been the 30th ranked team allowing 401 yards, 5 TDs and 267 receiving yards and 1 TD. With the current run that Taylor is on, I would be shocked if he didn’t have at least 15 points.

Miles Sanders (Eagles)

Raheem Mostert/Jeff Wilson Jr. (49ers)

WRs

Davante Adams (Packers)- This one doesn’t need a write up, you’re starting Adams regardless. 

A.J. Brown (Titans)

Robert Woods/Cooper Kupp (Rams)

DK Metcalf (Seahawks)- With the Washington Football Team going from being one of the top defense against WRs in the early part of the season, to now being one of the worst I had to highlight this one. I think we all know how good Metcalf has been this season and although he has had some terrible games, this feels like one where he could take advantage. Over the last four weeks the Football Team has dropped to the 28th ranked team allowing 754 yards, and 4 TDs in this time, while averaging 43.60 to opposing WRs. This could be a game where we see Metcalf just take over and explode for one of his 20+ games. 

Adam Thielen/Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

Julio Jones/Calvin Ridley (Falcons)

TEs

Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Eric Ebron (Steelers)

Robert Tonyan (Packers)- For being the number 4 ranked TE in fantasy this season, I still do not understand why the talking heads continue to project mediocre outings for Big Bob Tonyan. Although the Panthers have not given up many TDs in the last four week (1), they are a team that has allowed 22 of 29 receptions for 223 yards, which provides an average of 16.77 points. Their season long average is slightly better, 14.47, but the Panthers have really only faced two hard challenges, coming from the Chiefs’ Kelce and the Buccaneers’ Rob Gronkowski in Weeks 9 and 10. Tonyan has been a huge waiver wire pick up this season and as a player he has truly progressed into a strong starting TE. I look for him to have a good game this week.

Hayden Hurst (Falcons)

Dan Arnold (Cardinals)

D/ST

Steelers

Browns- If you look back to my waiver wire write up for the Browns this one seems obvious. Daniel Jones for the Giants has been hampered by leg injuries for a few weeks now, and last week against the Cardinals he looked like a statue in the pocket. The Cardinals where able to pin their ears back and get after him early and often with Markus Golden and Haason Reddick. No offense to either of these two players, I think they are both very good, but they are not Myles Garrett. The front 7 for the Browns should be able to control the line of scrimmage in this game and force the Giants into passing situations. If this happens I don’t think Jones will be able to handle the pressure.

Rams

Dolphins

Packers

Hates

QB

Cam Newton (Patriots)- If there was a horrible spot to have to start Newton it would be here. The Dolphins defense is the only one to have an interception in every game. That is a crazy stat, but one that I think is quite relevant here. This season Newton just does not seem capable of throwing the ball, and quite frankly his throwing mechanics look terrible. With Newton spraying the ball wildly I am expecting at least one Int out of this game. Furthermore, the Dolphins in the last four weeks have been the 2nd ranked team against QBs and have given up quite a few yards 1053, but have only given up 3 TDs in that time while forcing 8 Ints. 

Baker Mayfield (Browns)

Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

Mitch Trubisky (Bears)

RB

Mike Davis (Panthers)

Aaron Jones (Packers)- So this one hurts me a lot, but what I am expecting is an okay week from Jones just not one of those amazing games. Unfortunately this week Jones gets the Panthers who are the number 1 team over the last four weeks and have only allowed an average of 12.20 fantasy points to RBs in this time. Add on top of that the fact that the Panthers have given up only 204 rushing yards and 11 receptions for 72 yards, this does not seem like the best matchup. But, as I stated early I do think Jones does okay but not amazing in this spot. Instead I think the Packers will exploit the Panthers pass defense that has been horrendous.

Ezekiel Elliots (Cowboys)

Clyde Edwards-Helaire/Le’Veon Bell (Chiefs)

Todd Gurley (Falcons)

WR

Tyler Boyd (Bengals)

Devante Parker (Dolphins)

Dionte Johnson (Steelers)- This hate is based on a couple of observations: 1) the Bengals have been a fairly solid team against opposing WRs and surprisingly are ranked as one of the top teams (2nd) over the last four weeks; and 2) Johnson has had the most dropped passes this season. Last week we saw Johnson drop 3 passes and then get benched, while rookie Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and James Washington were able to continue producing. Although, Coach Tomlin said this won’t impact his snaps, the trust between him and Ben Roethlisberger might be tested. Back to the stats portion, the Bengals have only allowed 38 receptions for 439 yards and 2 TDs in the last four weeks, and with this being a tough matchup for Big Ben also the passing game could be limited. Just tamper your expectations for Johnson this week.

Jamison Crowder (Jets)

Amari Cooper (Cowboys)

TE

Logan Thomas (Washington Football Team)

Mike Gesicki (Dolphins)- With the Patriots being historically tough on rookie QBs and Gesicki being Tagovailoa’s go to targets, the Pats will do what they can to take this option away. Not to mention that the Patriots over the last four weeks are ranked as the 11th team against opposing TEs and in this span of time they have only allowed 19 receptions for 236 yards and 0 TDs. This stingy trend against TEs has been season long as they rank as the 3rd best team. This season, the Patriots have allowed 50 receptions for 595 yards and 1 TD to TEs and have only allowed an average of 8.88 fantasy points. This is just one of those bad weeks to play Gesicki.

Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

T.J. Hockenson (Lions)

Dallas Goedert (Eagles)