USA TODAY International Edition
Chiefs’ Smith back in good graces, play
Studs
QB Alex Smith,
Chiefs: If you benched him last week (oops, he threw four touchdown passes!) after some recent struggles and got by with a win, it’s time to put him back in your lineup against the Buccaneers’ extremely burnable secondary.
RB Kenyan Drake, Dolphins: Count me among the believers in Drake after what he did to the Broncos (I admit: I didn’t think there was any shot he’d be relevant now, let alone an RB1 in a playoff situation). If Miami needs to play catch-up, too, he might grab passes; he caught three in each of his last two games. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Seriously: Does it matter who his quarterback is? Crazy. TE Hunter Henry, Chargers: Per ESPN, the Redskins give up the fifthmost points to tight ends. He had seven catches and 81 yards last weekend.
Duds
QB Case Keenum, Vikings: The Panthers boast a top-10 passing defense, and with the Vikes on the road, this is going to be a game Minnesota will have to grind out for a victory. Temper expectations.
RB DeMarco Murray, Titans: You might be tearing your hair out over what’s going on in Tennessee with the running game — it’s a 50/50 split with Derrick Henry at this point. Now the Titans travel to Arizona, where the Cardinals have a top-10 rushing D. WR Doug Baldwin, Seahawks: He’s had one of the more up-anddown years of any big fantasy name this season, and now Seattle travels to play Jacksonville. That’s a recipe for a “down” game. TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jets: Yes, the Broncos aren’t great at defending tight ends. This is more about ASJ’s stock going down with Robby Anderson emerging. There are better options.
Sleepers
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers: In a twoquarterback league, you might consider Jimmy G, who gets a game against a vulnerable Texans defense. RB Peyton Barber, Buccaneers: It was Barber and not Jacqizz Rodgers who took the reins with Doug Martin out. Detroit is in the bottom half of the NFL in rushing yards allowed.
WR Josh Gordon, Browns: I came thisclose to putting him in “studs,” but we can’t be that certain about whether he’ll repeat what he did against Casey Hayward (which was super impressive) while playing against a suspect Packers defense. I’ll say this much: I’m starting him in a couple of playoff games. TE Cameron Brate, Buccaneers: Jameis Winston returns and what do you know? Brate catches two TD passes. If an owner dropped him recently and you have Rob Gronkowski sitting due to suspension, here’s a great option.