This article takes a look at players from each of the positions in your starting lineup who have interesting matchups. Not all players covered are your classic sleepers who might outperform expectations. Some are nominal starters with tricky matchups or players who might be starters in smaller leagues, but deep sleepers in larger leagues. Realizing that leagues and roster sizes vary wildly; your mileage could vary, too.
Quarterbacks
Michael Vick, PHI vs. NYG
How bad was Josh Freeman’s performance on Monday night football? It was so bad that in one game against Freeman the Giants defense fell five spots from 2nd to 7th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Don’t fret, though, the Giants defense is still just as bad allowing 262 yards per game with 14 TDs against five interceptions and a league-low six sacks. Freeman is the first quarterback that hasn’t thrown for at least 2 touchdowns and 220+ yards against them with the lone exception being the Eagles and that only because Michael Vick was forced from the game with the hamstring injury that has sidelined him until his expected return this week. In that game, Vick and Nick Foles combined for 302 yards, 2 TDs and 80 yards rushing. The Eagles are doing all they can to get Vick back onto the field following Foles’ concussion and Matt Barkley’s dreadful performanceon Sunday. Vick’s pre-injury performance makes him a strong QB1 option this week, but he comes with the risk of potentially re-injuring his hamstring or trying to be a pocket passer to avoid further injury.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pit at OAK
After a slow start in his first two games, Roethlisberger has regained his form averaging just over 20 points per game in his last games. Twenty points is sort of the baseline for the bottom of the QB1 tier, so he has essentially re-established himself as a low QB1, high QB2 and this week he faces a Raiders defense that has intercepted only three passes and is allowing the third highest completion percentage (68.3%) and passer rating of 98.6. With Le’Veon Bell running well and giving the Steelers more offensive balance, Roethlisberger should continue to deliver mid-to-low QB1 numbers, especially against this Raider defense.
Eli Manning, NYG at PHI
First the bad news: Through seven games, Eli Manning has topped 20 fantasy points only twice. His 15 interceptions lead the league and his 54.5% completion rate is his worst since his second year in the league back in 2005. Now the good news, Monday night was only the second game this year that Eli didn’t throw an interception and and his second-best game this season came in Week 5 against the Eagles when he produced 21 points on 334 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INTs. The Eagles 31st ranked pass defense has only 15 sacks while allowing an average of 326 yards and 2 TDs per game – the 3rd most fantasy points to QBs. It’s easy to be gun shy about using Eli, but if there is ever a week to do it, this is a good spot for him.
Carson Palmer, ARI vs. Atl
Palmer continues to throw ugly interceptions and underperform as a fantasy quarterback, but with the bye week and injuries taking their toll on starter-quality fantasy options, Palmer is a player owners need to take a serious look at against a struggling Falcons defense this week. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 104.7 against Atlanta while completing 65.5% of their passes and scoring the fourth most fantasy points – 286 yards per game with 14 TDs and only 3 interceptions. On Sunday, Mike Glennon took advantage of garbage time to compile 256 yards and 2 TDs against them, becoming the sixth straight quarterback to produce 20 points and 2+ TDs against them. Palmer knows a thing or two about garbage time, but he has produced 20 points just twice in seven games.
Geno Smith, NYJ at CIN
The Bengals seems like a poor matchup at first sight, but they just lost Leon Hall to his second torn Achilles tendon in as many years last week and they’ve quietly allowed other non-starter/backup types to have solid games against them in the last month. In Week 6, Thaddeus Lewis started in place of the injured EJ Manuel and produced 26 fantasy points on 19-of-32 passing for 216 yards, 2 TDs and 17 yards rushing and another score. Two weeks prior, Brian Hoyer completed 25-of-38 for 269 yards with 2 TDs, good for 22 fantasy points. For his part, Smith has topped 17 fantasy points in four of his last 5 games and 20+ points in four out of seven games. As a rookie with great confidence, he remains vulnerable to turnovers – believing that he can throw the ball into tight windows – but that’s more of a positive than a negative. The kid can throw, he can run, and he believes in himself. You might not believe in him as a fantasy starter, but he is a solid QB2 for leagues that start two, and a decent reach for deeper leagues as we roll through bye weeks with injuries starting to thin the herd.
Running Backs
Le'Veon Bell, Pit at OAK
Bell is only averaging 3.8 YPC through three games, but he has displayed many of the attributes that made him an attractive rookie prior to the foot injury he suffered in the preseason that sent would-be owners running in the other direction. Now healthy again, Bell is running with good power, short-area quickness and decisiveness while almost always falling forward for that extra couple of yards. In the Raiders last four games, six different backs have produced 60 or more yards or scored. The other bonus with Bell is that he is playing in all situations and he’s just as capable on early downs as he at the goal line or on passing downs.
Stevan Ridley, NE vs. Mia
As the weather turns cold Ridley has begun working his way back into the same role we expected of him back in August. He has scored in each of his last two games while averaging almost 5 YPC in his last three. As he works his way out of the doghouse for early season fumbles and recovers from a knee injury that limited him for a few weeks, he now faces a Dolphins defense that has allowed the fifth most points to RBs. It’s a bit deceiving, though, as only two back have rushed for more than 65 yards and a lot of the damage done against them has been in the passing game. On the flipside, the Dolphins have allowed four rushing TDs to RBs in their last three games. In deeper leagues, keep Brandon Bolden in mind as the Patriots passing down back that also gets occasional goal-line opportunities to boot.
Mike James, TB vs. Car
For James, this is actually a pretty tough matchup as the Panthers rank among the bottom third of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs, but it’s also a scenario where James could see the bulk of the touches in the backfield, much like Zac Stacy last week for the Rams against Carolina. Stacy carried the rock 17 times for 53 yards and caught four balls for 34 yards with a touchdown. Three weeks ago, Rashard Mendenhall combined for 50 yards and a score while Andre Ellington chipped in 83 total yards against them. James isn’t a high upside play, but as long as he has volume I like his chances of being a capable low-RB2 fill-in against this tough Panthers front seven.
Pierre Thomas, NO vs. Buf
Thomas’s last two games have been his most productive of the season as he went for 21 points against the Bears and 8 against the Patriots. Outside of that, however, Thomas has not scored or combined for more than 67 yards in a game. Against the Bills 28th ranked run defense, Thomas should continue his warming trend as only two other teams have allowed more rushing yards to opposing backs. The Saints backfield under Sean Payton has long been unpredictable and a bit of a committee, so Khiry Robinson and Darren Sproles remain in the picture limit the upside of Thomas. In fact, one might even be apt to take a chance on Robinson as opposed to Thomas even though Thomas has received more carries than Robinson has in the last month and Robinson has no role in the passing game at all.
Joseph Randle, Dal at DET
At press time, DeMarco Murray had returned to a limited practice, but it still looks like the Cowboys will be smart about bringing him back too soon following his MCL sprain suffered just two weeks ago. If Murray remains active, Randle is someone to have on your RB2/flex radar against a Lions defense giving up big chunks of yards on the ground at a time. Their 23rd ranked run defense is allowing a ridiculous 5.1 YPC yet they’ve allowed the 11th fewest points to RBs. Against the Eagles on Sunday, Randle performed well enough with 19 carries for 65 yards and another three carries for 28 yards. In back to back games, he has 9 fantasy points with a good shot of double digits this week.
Zac Stacy, STL vs. Sea
Only three out of seven starting running backs have generated more than 10 fantasy points against the Seahawks this year. As expected, they are among the toughest defenses against the run and the same goes for fantasy points allowed, so if you own Stacy you’ll need to temper expectations just a tad. On the other hand, without Sam Bradford, the Rams figure to give the ball a lot to Stacy since he has easily been the most consistently productive back in the Rams backfield this year on a down-by-down and game-by-game basis with over 20 touches in each of his last two games and 8+ fantasy points in all three of his starts, including 15 points last week against the tough Panther defense.
Other backs that might make sense in deeper leagues include DeAngelo Williams (at TB), Chris Ivory (at CIN) andRashard Mendenhall (vs. Atl). Williams probably has the best chance for success, but the Bucs aren’t an easy matchup and he hasn’t been consistently used in the passing game nor is he featured in the red zone. Ivory broke out last week after the coaches surprising handed him the rock 34 times against the Patriots, but he is no lock to be featured as heavily with Bilal Powell really doing nothing to earn a demotion. Mendenhall has not been overly productive even though he has done a decent enough job with what he has to work with, but if the Cardinals keep this game close he could find the end zone and bang out 50-to-60 well earned yards rushing.
Wide Receivers
Jarrett Boykin, GB at MIN
Boykin did well for himself filling in for the injured Randall Cobb on Sunday by catching eight balls for 103 yards and a score against a good Browns secondary. This week the matchup is considerably better against a Vikings team allowing the ninth most points to opposing WRs. With James Jones still not fully healthy and Jermichael Finley sidelined, Boykin should once again be a target machine with legitimate WR2 upside.
Terrance Williams, Dal at DET
With Miles Austin continuing to battle chronically tight hamstrings, Williams has moved to the forefront as a viable fantasy receiver opposite Dez Bryant. Williams faces a fantasy friendly Lions pass defense that saw their top corner Chris Houston get benched last week for fear that his confidence was shaken after AJ Green took him to school early in the game. The Lions have allowed the seventh most points to receivers and the fifth most passing yards. On top of that, Williams has been a WR2 type since Austin pulled his hamstring piling up three touchdowns in the last three games and 71+ yards in three of the last four.
Rueben Randle, NYG at PHI
Despite being the Giants third receiver, Randle has been consistently productive over the last few games, or since he broke out against this same Eagle defense. In those three games, Randle has caught four touchdowns, even though he has only caught five or more balls twice in seven games. His production against the Eagles goes back to his rookie year when he caught four passes for 58 yards and 2 more touchdowns in Week 17. Suffice to say, Randle has owned the Eagles in their last two meetings and he’s not alone. They’ve allowed more points to opposing WRs than any other NFL defense. If the Giants decide to deal Hakeem Nicks before the deadline, his stock could soar even higher.
Michael Floyd, ARI vs. Atl
Floyd’s production has grown slowly and steadily since the beginning of the season from being a WR5 type to where he is now on the cusp of being a strong weekly flex in shallower leagues and a solid WR3 in deeper leagues. This week he draws a Falcon defense allowing the fourth most points against WRs and with Larry Fitzgerald playing through nagging hamstring injuries we should expect to see Floyd continue playing a more significant role in the Cardinals passing attack. Nine different receivers have produced double-digit fantasy points against the Falcons in six games and Floyd has four straight games of 5+ catches and 60+ yards.
Brandon Lafell, Car at TB
With Darrelle Revis perhaps locking onto Steve Smith this week that leaves LaFell or even Ted Ginn Jr as potential breakout performers this week for those of you willing to lay it all out there with your flex/WR3 spot. Over the last four games, the Buccaneers have allowed the fifth most points to WRs as similar receiver types have broken out like Harry Douglas (7-149-1), Riley Cooper (4-120-1) or even Kenbrell Thompkins (3-41-2) or Aaron Dobson (7-52-0) to a lesser extent. LaFell isn’t a player that anyone should ever get excited about, but he has caught TDs in two of his last four games and the matchup is favorable for he (or Ginn) to strike this week for a big play or two.
Jerome Simpson, MIN vs. GB
Simpson has been targeted consistently with year with 48 through six games and 7 or more in five of those six games, but he has caught only 26 of those targets. On Monday, his catch rate was a putrid 33% as he was targeted 9 times by Josh Freeman but only reeled in three of them. That is basically what Simpson is – an inconsistent deep threat capable of stretching the field that will produce the occasional 100+-yard game every few weeks and then go back to fantasy irrelevance with a few catches for less than 50 yards in the weeks in between. His boom/best tendency is exacerbated by Freeman’s wildness. Against the Packers defense allowing the 10th most points, though, he might be worth a shot in the dark if you’re receiver depth is thin due to the bye week and injuries.
Leonard Hankerson, Was at DEN
The Broncos are a nice matchup for opposing quarterbacks and receivers. We know the Broncos will score plenty of points and we have come to expect that with that come a healthy amount of garbage time more often than not for their foes. Like Simpson, Hankerson isn’t much of a weekly fantasy option even though he consistently sees 5 to 7 targets a game. He has caught just over half of his 35 targets and he is quickly becoming this year’s Kevin Ogletree since he hasn’t caught a touchdown since Week 1, when he had his best game of the season by a wide margin with 5-80-2. That could change this week. Check out the names of these receivers who have caught TDs against the Broncos – Darrius Heyward-Bey, Cole Beasley, Jeff Maehl and Marlon Brown. Hankerson is a nice-sized red zone target and he can make plays downfield, so if you’re in dire need of a plug-n-play type then keep him on your list of candidates. Just remember that the Broncos have allowed more 20-yard receptions than any other defense in the league and Champ Bailey is hurt again.
Tight Ends
Jordan Reed, Was at DEN
If Reed didn’t miss a game due to injury (and another on the bye) he would easily rank among the top 10 fantasy tight ends heading into Week 8. Billed as a poor man’s Aaron Hernandez as a move TE, Reed has been a PPR-machine with 26 catches in five games culminating with a monstrous 9-catch, 134-yard and 1 TD performance on Sunday against the Bears.This week, Reed has another good matchup and a strong possibility of garbage time to pad stats going up against the high-scoring Broncos. Denver has allowed the 12th most points to tight ends and the ninth most over the last four weeks.
Kyle Rudolph, MIN vs. GB
Rudolph wasn’t terribly productive on Monday night against the Giants catching only three balls for 27 yards, but he was targeted 9 times – a tell-tale sign of Josh Freeman’s poor accuracy perhaps. Rudolph hasn’t and probably won’t live up to his draft day billing as a TE1 this year, but there is some upside this week against a Packer defense allowing the third most points to TEs. In the last three games, four different tight ends have produced 50+ or more yards while in their last two both Jordan Cameron and Dallas Clark caught touchdowns against them.
Zach Ertz, PHI vs. NYG
Outside of Kyle Rudolph’s 3-27-0 against them on Monday night, the Giants have been a consistently friendly matchup for tight ends as all others have produced 47 yards or more and four out of seven caught touchdowns against them. Overall, they’ve allowed the sixth most points. After seeing 2 to 3 targets throughout the first five games of the season, Ertz’s role is growing with 5 and 6 targets in his last two. He’s still a bit of a “faith” pick at this point, but he’s a rookie that’s long on talent and with a growing role and a soft matchup, this could be the week he pops.
Brandon Pettigrew & Joseph Fauria, DET vs. Dal
The Lions tight end situation has become a quagmire for fantasy owners. Just when Brandon Pettigrew was left for dead, he has morphed into a bit of a fantasy zombie over the last four weeks with 18 catches, 156 yards and a TD on 23 targets. At the same time, Fauria went four weeks with a single catch before jumping back to life in Week 6 with a Jerome Bettis-inspired performance of 3 catches for 3 TDs against the Browns. On the year, Fauria has eight catches with five of them going for touchdowns. This week, the Lions face a Dallas defense allowing the fourth most points to opposing tight ends and the second most over the last four weeks. While it’s tempting to stick a fork in these two and just move on, Pettigrew has some deeper league appeal while Fauria is definitely a player to plug in during the bye weeks in basic scoring leagues.
A handful of other deep sleepers with good matchups include the Packers tandem of Andrew Quarless & Brandon Bostickagainst a Vikings defense allowing the fifth most points to tight ends, Anthony Fasano against a Browns defense allowing the third most points in the last four games and Rob Housler against a Falcon defense allowing the 10th most points.
Defense/Special Teams
Carolina at Tampa Bay
In their last four games the Panthers have produced 10 turnovers and sacked the quarterback 16 times while allowing an average of just 252 total yards per game. They also returned their first touchdown of the year on Sunday when Captain Munnerlyn picked off Sam Bradford’s first pass of the game. This week, the Panthers face a Buccaneers team that will be without RB Doug Martin and rookie Mike Glennon starting at quarterback. That’s normally a great sign, but in this case, Glennon is almost certainly an upgrade over Josh Freeman given his performance since the late last season.
Philadelphia vs. NY Giants
Thanks to an 86-yard punt return for a touchdown, the Vikings made it seven straight defenses in a row to produce nine fantasy points or more against the Giants this season. Of course, Eli Manning leads the league in interceptions (16) and their running game has been reduced to Peyton Hillis starting for them after being signed off the street days earlier last week. The Giants have done a better job of protecting Eli since the Panthers jammed him for seven sacks in Week 3, but the Eagles remain a solid play for rent-a-defense prospecting this week.
Green Bay at Minnesota
Even though the Packers defense have been without three of their four starting linebackers they’ve played very well over the last month by holding the Browns, Ravens and Lions to a combined 39 points. They’ve recorded 17 sacks in their last four games and forced 6 turnovers while holding three of those opponents under 300 total yards. Their just reward is facing an awful Vikings offense (outside of Adrian Peterson) led by Josh Freeman at quarterback. Freeman is on track for one of the worst all-time quarterbacking performances in recent NFL history, completing a measly 42.9% of his passes.
Pittsburgh at Oakland
The Raiders have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing defenses over the last four weeks thanks to the big performances by Washington and Kansas City against them. The Raiders have allowed the second most sacks (27), although they’ve played only six games, and they’ve allowed 21 sacks in their last three games while allowing a pair of TD returns. Terrelle Pryor makes plenty of big plays, though, and his athleticism could make it difficult for this sack-challenged Steelers defense to get him to the ground. Likewise, the Raiders have not committed a turnover in three of their six games while committing two or more in the other three. The Steelers are an upside play, but certainly the great matchup that this appeared to be on paper on draft day.
