This may be the most difficult weekend for fantasy managers. Not only are many league trophies in the balance, but also there are also several fantasy stars who will likely sit on the pine awaiting meaningful games in the coming weeks. Suddenly the Matt Moore’s and Arian Foster’s of the world are fantasy starters, while Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne are best served on the bench. Here’s Shaw’s Picks, Week 17 edition.
QB
MUST START:
MATT MOORE, QB, PANTHERS
The Panthers have shocked everyone by putting together three solid games including a two-game winning streak over the Vikings and Giants. Leading the charge is Matt Moore, an undrafted talent out of Oregon State, who replaced Jake Delhomme at quarterback. Moore has combined for seven passing touchdowns without an interception over the last three games and will now take aim at a Saints team that seems to be coasting ever since clinching home field advantage a few weeks ago. Who would have thought that Moore would evolve into a better fantasy option than Peyton Manning in the final week of the fantasy season? I’m still banking on a big performance even with lead wide out Steve Smith out with a broken arm.
JAY CUTLER, QB, BEARS
As bad as Jay Cutler has been, the former Vanderbilt star should enjoy a fine finish against the Detroit Lions. Cutler tossed four touchdowns compared to one interception last weekend against the Vikings. Against an inferior Lions defence, Cutler should enjoy another big day to add a final positive to what has been a dismal season. The last time Cutler opposed the Lions, he tossed two touchdowns without an interception.
MUST BENCH:
PEYTON MANNING, QB, COLTS
Peyton Manning is awful and should be avoided at all costs! Of course, I’m talking solely from a fantasy perspective. The star quarterback’s head coach’s decision to rest his starters is the lone reason for the sudden decline in value. Even without competing in the final game of the season, Manning’s 33 touchdowns and 4,405 passing yards may be enough to win another MVP trophy.
MARK SANCHEZ, QB, JETS
Even though the Jets have everything to play for this weekend, fantasy managers should avoid the team’s rookie quarterback. Sanchez has been erratic, if not downright awful. His 12 touchdowns are outweighed by 20 interceptions and he is averaging just 170 passing yards per game. More importantly, the Jets have learned that the team’s offence must be rush-dominated to compete. That makes Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene and the team defence the real fantasy winners this season.
RB
MUST START:
ARIAN FOSTER, RB, TEXANS
An early fumble cost Arian Foster his promotion two weeks ago, but he responded like a fantasy star with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown this past weekend. The Texans face a must-win situation this weekend against the Patriots, and the coaching staff has made it clear that they consider Foster and Ryan Moats as the team’s best backfield options. Expect 15 carries for Foster, which will likely result in 60-plus yards of offence and a high likelihood of a touchdown.
JAMAAL CHARLES, CHIEFS
If you’ve been paying attention to the headlines in Kansas City, you would have learned that the Chiefs hope to make Jamaal Charles a 1,000-yard running back this weekend. That would entail 139 rushing yards for Charles, a total that he has surpassed in two of the past three games. Give the Chiefs offensive line some credit, after struggling to create any holes for Larry Johnson, Charles has evolved into a legitimate fantasy star.
MUST BENCH:
LAURENCE MARONEY, RB, PATRIOTS
From hero to goat, Laurence Maroney gained the trust of fantasy managers throughout this season only to once again disappoint last weekend. Maroney fumbled the ball early and was swiftly replaced by Sammy Morris. Fantasy managers have seen this before. Get used to Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris, and Maroney splitting carries, leaving them all with little fantasy value.
DEANGELO WILLIAMS, RB, PANTHERS
While fantasy managers were plenty frustrated with DeAngelo Williams throughout the season, the former Memphis star still averaged a healthy 5.2 yards per carry and rushed for 1,117 yards with seven touchdowns. However, fantasy managers better look elsewhere for production in the final week of the season, as an ankle injury will likely keep Williams on the bench. That makes Jonathan Stewart the player to start, while Williams won’t regain his fantasy value until the 2010 season.
WR
MUST START:
ZACH MILLER, TE, RAIDERS
Just when fantasy managers assumed that a concussion knocked Zach Miller out for the season, the Raiders tight end worked hard to return to the field last weekend. He responded with his best game of the season making nine grabs for 110 yards. Even though the touchdowns remain scarce for the Raiders, Miller is one of the few tight ends in the NFL who can be counted on each week for solid fantasy production.
BRAYLON EDWARDS, WR, JETS
The Jets are very much a rush-dominated offence, but Braylon Edwards remains a fantasy star because of the fact that his height makes him an easy target for quarterback Mark Sanchez. Edwards landed on the waiver wire in many leagues because of his disappointing start to the season. However, with at least three grabs in four of his last five games, and touchdowns in two of his past four games, Edwards is a player to target in the Jets make-or-break game this weekend.
MUST BENCH:
REGGIE WAYNE, WR, COLTS
Colts star wide out Reggie Wayne enjoyed another stellar season with 1243 receiving yards and ten touchdowns, however, fantasy managers who opted for their season to end on the final week of the season will have to pay the consequences for the Colts team success. In limited time last weekend, Wayne managed just three receptions for 33 yards. Don’t expect much more this weekend as the Colts look to remain healthy for the team’s post-season run.
STEVE SMITH, WR, PANTHERS
Once known as “The Steve Smith,” the Panthers star wide out is now the inferior “Steve Smith” in the NFL. While his numbers may have been disappointing to fantasy managers who drafted him in the early rounds, Smith was still better than most with 982 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, fantasy managers better get used to those numbers since Smith is out for the season with a broken arm.