Out of My League

Weekly rankings take into account opponent, injuries and other incidental factors.

QUARTERBACKS

Ryan Boser highlights one quarterback who will "POP," and one who will "FLOP."

Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals) at St. Louis

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and Andy Dalton survived a hellish five-game stretch against the league’s top four fantasy pass defenses (Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston and Pittsburgh twice)...Click here to read the rest of the breakdown at Bruno Boys.

Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New York Jets

The good news is that Michael Vick (ribs) made it through Sunday’s tilt with Miami without any setbacks. The bad news is that he was lousy, completing just 15-of-30 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and only running twice for nine yards... Click here to read the rest of the breakdown at Bruno Boys.

RUNNING BACKS

Joey Cavalier highlights one running back who will "POP," and one who will "FLOP."

Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) at Tampa Bay

Now that DeMarco Murray is on IR, Felix Jones gets another chance to prove he is worthy. He certainly did that last week when he shredded the New York Giants for 137 total yards in relief for Murray. This week Jones faces off against one of the most putrid defenses in the entire NFL. Everyone (yes, even the Jacksonville Jaguars) puts up crazy numbers against the Bucs. Expect Jones to fill in nicely for the injured Murray, and help carry your team to a victory. Felix is a low-end RB1 going into this weekend, based on his matchup and the opportunity for feature back duties. 

Frank Gore (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Pittsburgh

If you are a Frank Gore owner, chances are you’ve had your backup plan in place for several weeks. Gore is hobbling into the fantasy playoffs, and health concerns will likely force the Niners to hold him back again this week (he only out-carried Kendall Hunter 10-to-eight last week), rendering him a very risky play. Pair that with a brutal matchup against a Steelers defense that is stout against the run, and Gore could be in for a rough day. If you have the depth, you may have better options than Gore. Otherwise, expect Gore to be nothing more than an average flex-play this weekend. 

WIDE RECEIVERS

Joey Cavalier highlights one wide receiver who will "POP," and one who will "FLOP."

Jabar Gaffney (Washington Redskins) at New York Giants

Jabar Gaffney has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners down the stretch this season. Last week Gaffney racked up 92 yards and a touchdown on six catches against the Patriots. This week he faces off against a New York Giants secondary that gave up three touchdowns last week against the Cowboys. Gaffney could be in for a huge day as the Redskins will be throwing the ball all game (likely playing a good old fashioned game of “catch-up”). If you have been bitten by the injury bug, and are digging deep looking for a fill-in, look no further than Gaffney. He should perform as a solid WR2 this weekend.

Santonio Holmes (New York Jets) vs. Philadelphia

Don’t let the three game touchdown streak fool you; Santonio Holmes is still not a dependable fantasy WR. Over his last four games, Holmes has been targeted 30 times, yet he has only reeled in 40 percent of those targets (not good). This week the Jets square off against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have been much better defensively in recent weeks. Holmes will likely get the Nnamdi Asomugha-treatment for a good portion of the game, and that alone caps his upside dramatically. You’ve probably made it this far without Holmes, so you should be able to continue on without him. 

TIGHT ENDS