Quick Hits With the slow and steady progression of the NFL offseason, it would seem that relevant fantasy news is at a loss. But even the daily reports coming out of organized team activities contain insight that will affect our selection on draft day. This article is quick recap of the recent headlines from around the NFL affecting our pre-draft preparation. Michael Crabtree , WR, San Francisco -- Arguably the biggest news affecting fantasy owners was the loss of Michael Crabtree after blowing out his Achilles last week. Many have speculated that Crabtree could return before season's end. However, I'll warn you now this is a season long injury for fantasy owners with visions of a postseason comeback. The fallout has newcomer Anquan Boldin and veteran Vernon Davis as the primary fantasy providers in the San Francisco passing game. Rob Gronkowski , TE, New England -- The other injury news of late has been the recent bout of surgeries incurred by Gronkowski. New England has become notorious for lying, so it's no surprise the Patriots are calling the newest back injury "minor." Regardless, Gronkowski is now bordering on a red-flag injury risk. I made a rule for myself long ago - no injury prone players before the fourth round. Gronkowski just made my list. (Need more proof? Read Jim Bukowski's article below.) Carson Palmer , QB, Arizona -- Bruce Arians has been raving about Carson Palmer calling him "as pretty a deep, ball thrower as I've ever seen." I'm infatuated with Palmer's upside this year as a likely 10th-round selection. Mark my words: barring injury from a crappy offensive line, Palmer will be a Top 10 quarterback or better by seasons end. Arian Foster , RB, Houston -- Potential No. 1 overall selection Arian Foster has suffered a strained calf that will keep him on the pine until training camp. No need to panic as we are still month from the regular season, but certainly worth monitoring. Steven Jackson , RB, Atlanta -- It's not surprising that Steven Jackson has impressed his coaches and teammates with his abilities as a receiver. After all Jackson is the antithesis of Michael Turner in the passing game. I expect one more big year on the best offense Jackson has been on since his rookie season. Mark Sanchez , QB, New York Jets -- Mark Sanchez sucks, in case you forgot. Mike Gillislee , RB, Miami -- The addition of Mike Gillislee to the Dolphins backfield is stirring up news as the rookie has seen time with the first team offense. If ...

We cover all the week's events and say a much needed goodbye to Titus Young.

We cover Marcus Lattimore's recovery, the saga of Titus Young and more this week.

With the holidays around the corner, we must now factor weather conditions and other variables into the fantasy football season, which should be playoff time in most head-to-head leagues. With freezing conditions along with falling rain and snow in the forecast, there may be less points on the board and potentially decreased passing numbers in some contests. In addition, injuries continue to pile along with the potential benching of key fantasy studs locked into their playoff seeding in the near future. With matchups over the next few weeks deciding the fate of your fantasy league's prized trophy, take a dive with me we prep for Week 15. If you listened to me last week, you started Seattle's defense that earned owners around 41 points in most leagues! QB Andy Dalton - Although it will be chilly for Week 15's first game on Thursday, the weather will be favorable in comparison with other outdoor stadiums. With questions regarding the status of several quarterbacks up in the air this weekend, Dalton is a safe bet for a strong performance. His home and away numbers are very similar as he prepares for the Philadelphia Eagles, who have allowed multi-touchdown games to opposing quarterbacks for seven straight weeks. This will be a make-or-break game for Cincinnati, who still has a shot at making the playoffs. Look for a strong performance from Dalton. Week 15 forecast: 225 passing yards, 2 TD RB Reggie Bush - After a dynamic start, Bush cooled down mid-season with decreased production and a shared workload with Daniel Thomas. The Miami running back has experienced a slight resurgence and earned 65 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards off of seven targets in Week 14. Although he did not find the end zone, Bush did break the 100 total yards mark for the first time since Week 2. With weather as a non-factor and a matchup against the New Orleans Saints, who have allowed more rushing yards, receiving yards and overall points to opposing running backs, Bush should have a huge performance this weekend. Week 15 forecast: 110 total yards, TD WR Josh Gordon - It is difficult to remember when a Cleveland Browns receiver was considered a "must-start." Gordon has been relatively consistent and even heating up during the Browns' recent win streak. He is averaging more than 100 yards over his last two games and was targeted 12 times last weekend. Gordon will be a heavy contributor to fantasy teams with a matchup against the Washington Redskins, who have ...

This week's lines are from USAToday.com (as of Thursday night). ATS - Against the Spread; SU - Straight Up; O/U - Over/Under Locks Chicago at Minnesota (+3) Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin has been placed on the IR this week due to an ankle injury. With Harvin out, quarterback Christian Ponder has no real weapons to throw to. Expect the Vikings to give running back Adrian Peterson 25+ touches Sunday. Peterson is the team's only real threat on offense, he leads the league in rushing with 1,446 yards. The Bears will look to rebound after a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week. The defense takes a hit without linebacker Brian Urlacher who is expected to miss their next three games. Cornerback Tim Jennings is expected to miss the game also. The teams just played each other two weeks ago with the Bears winning 28-10 at home. Even with the injuries piling up for the Bears, I expect the Bears to win this game rather easily. The Vikings simply don't have enough firepower on offense to stick around. The Bears are 6-0 ATS in their last six meetings. Gimme the Bears minus the points. Atlanta at Carolina (O/U 48) Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has struggled for a majority of the season but has been on fire lately. In his last three games, Newton has averaged 263 yards passing and 57 yards rushing per game, with seven touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns. Expect him to put up good numbers again this week against the Falcons defense, which is giving up 121 rushing yards per game, 20th in the NFL. The Falcons have been average against the pass, giving up 231 yards per game, 15th in the NFL. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan has struggled recently, throwing for only two touchdowns in his last three games while throwing six interceptions, including five in Week 11 against Arizona. Look for Ryan to bounce back this week against a Panthers defense which is giving up 24.3 points per game, 20th in the league. The teams played each other back in Week 4 with the Falcons winning at home, 30-28. Ryan threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns. The Over/Under for that game was 48. In their last eight meetings, the Over is 5-1-2. Gimme the Over. Games Arizona at Seattle (-10) The Cardinals are making another switch at quarterback this week, benching struggling rookie Ryan Lindley and going back to John Skelton. This change is good news for fantasy owners of Larry Fitzgerald who has just five receptions ...

We've been spoiled the last couple of weeks as the waiver wire has had upwards of half a dozen players to be excited about. Players like Bryce Brown, Danario Alexander and Knowshon Moreno have appeared in this space in that time frame, and they have become fantasy stars. This week's list is lacking star power, but we do have a baker's dozen worth of players worth considering. We set aside the top category this week, but we do have a trio of tight ends that have emerged as consistent fantasy producers. The rest of the list is dominated by wideouts, but a pair of runners make the list, and we speculate on a signal caller as well. Something for everyone in this week's wonders! Solid Pickups TE Jared Cook, Tennessee Cook's numbers in the last two weeks are on the rise - four catches for 51 yards against the Houston Texans this week and six catches for 47 yards the previous week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Of more importance is a major bump in Cook's playing time. A change in the offensive coordinator for the Titans got Cook on the field for more than 80 percent of the offensive plays and saw him targeted a dozen times. We expect these targets to continue, with his catches rising to the level of between 8-10 per game. Those are solid numbers for a tight end. WR Mike Thomas, Detroit We listed Thomas in our 'Deep and/or Dynasty Only' category last week, speculating that he would get some time this week while Titus Young was pouting on the bench. This week he rises high enough to be listed here as a solid pickup. The Lions will be using him as the starter opposite Calvin Johnson. Ryan Broyles was injured last week, and reports are that he will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear. Thomas did not do well filling in for the injured Broyles last week, but the Lions have no other options as they are indicating that Young will not be a part of the offense. He is worth a look in all formats, especially as the starter opposite Johnson. WR Chris Givens, St. Louis Danny Amendola has been injury prone this season, and last week Givens took advantage of his absence. He caught a season-high 11 passes, which was good for 92 yards against San Francisco. Sam Bradford has been latching onto a single wideout during games, and with Amendola on the shelf, it is looking like Givens is going to be that player. He is worth a roster spot in all formats, and in Amendola's absence he is worth starting as a flex. RB David Wilson, New York Giants...

New York 16, Washington 17 Giants The dual that started in week seven did not disappoint as the two quarterbacks traded blows all game long. On the receiving end for the Giants was Victor Cruz racking up 104 yards on five receptions. Nice to see Cruz stepping up his game just in time for the fantasy playoffs. Martellus Bennett was also a beneficiary catching five of seven targets, for 82 yards and the Giants lone touchdown. With the Saints coming to the Big Apple, Bennett has medium fantasy value as a lower TE1. With Andre Brown out for the season, Ahmad Bradshaw finally got the workload we all projected according to his third round ADP touching the ball 26 times for 116 yards. Bradshaw should be cemented in our lineups as a borderline RB1 next week facing New Orleans. Redskins Robert Griffin III must be touched by fate after his fumble jumped right into the hands of Skins wide receiver Josh Morgan who rolled in for a 13-yard touchdown. Not the greatest of fantasy performances, Griffin was able to set the single season rookie rushing record, the primary reason he remains a solid fantasy starter. The future of the NFL quarterback position looks brighter than ever. After a mid third quarter fumble Mike Shannahan showed his confidence in rookie running back Alfred Morris giving him the ball repeatedly on the very next series. Although Morris will never be considered for rookie of the year, he'd certainly get my vote for best draft value, both NFL and fantasy. Pierre Garcon owners who were patient all season look to have a solid WR2 on their hands. He is a lineup lock now making the championship push. Tuesday Morning Quick Hits •Lions wide receiver Ryan Broyles has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, he's done for the season. Head coach Jim Schwartz says Titus Young will not replace Broyles in the lineup meaning Mike Thomas becomes a player of intrigue. •Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson are expected to return Thursday night, but the timeshare is still unknown. Best to avoid all Raiders running backs. •Chargers left tackle Mike Harris has suffered a high ankle sprain. Best to avoid all Chargers players not named Danario Alexander (low end WR3) this week facing Pittsburgh. •Packers head coach Mike McCarthy says he'll stick with the "hot hand" at running back meaning James Starks is nothing more than a mid-RB3. •McCarthy also stated that Jordy Nelson will be "hard pressed to play" this weekend after suffering a hamstring injury. Find other ...

Below, I'll list the player, their week 13 matchup, and the percentage of leagues in which he is owned according to our friends at fleaflicker.com. DISCLAIMER: The hope is that you don't find yourself in a situation like this. The hope is that you dodge the bullet. But hope won't help you come Sunday. Let's move on to this week's targets, keeping in mind that these aren't every week starters. Instead, these are guys that should only be used if you're in some kind of roster emergency, whether it be related to bye weeks or injuries. QB Chad Henne @BUF -- 18%. Henne has started two games this season. In those games, he has thrown for 615 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. He's averaging over 300 yards and three scores. He now gets Buffalo's awful pass defense, which has been one of the more generous defenses to opposing quarterbacks this season. I don't really care that the game is on the road. Our fantasysharks.com projections project him for 265 yards passing, two scores, and two picks. I think those are his minimums this week. Colin Kaepernick @STL -- 39%. I am impressed with Kaepernick thus far. Maybe I drank the Harbaugh kool-aid, but he brings so much more to the table, especially as a fantasy quarterback. He can throw better than Smith, but he runs better and gets more carries near the goal line. We've projected him for 230 yards, a score, a pick, and 20 yards rushing. I think the passing numbers will be even better, and he'll get at least 20 on the ground. Ryan Lindley @ NYJ -- 1%. Haha! Just kidding. RB Joique Bell vs IND -- 30%. Bell has come on late in the season, with solid games against Jacksonville and Houston. The Lions are starting to figure out their backfield, relying on Mikel Leshoure for early down work, and using Bell on third downs and when Leshoure needs a rest. This week, Leshoure has been slowed by an ankle injury. If he is limited in any way on Sunday, Bell will benefit from additional time. I like him to match our projection for him of 80 total yards and a score. James Starks vs MIN -- 16%. Starks was a playoff darling for the Packers a few seasons ago, but couldn't get the job done last season. After missing the first half of this season due to injuries, Starks has regained the starting role, with a little help from an injured Cedric Benson and an ineffective Alex Green. I think Starks will be a bigger part of the running game this season, and while he's a plodding runner, I like him to surpass the 30-yard ...

With the "Walking Dead" earning huge ratings on AMC, we will honor the NFL's "running dead" that awoke for Week 12. Arizona's Beanie Wells and Denver's Knowshon Moreno were barely on the fantasy radar this season, but became solid plays and targeted on the waiver wire. With Philadelphia's LaSean McCoy sitting out after a concussion in the previous week, Bryce Brown led a running back clinic with 178 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a loss against Carolina. All three of these backs may be key contributors to the upcoming fantasy playoffs. Although Week 12 was packed with excitement, monster performances, and surprises, it also held its share of follies. From Mark Sanchez's fumble after running into his lineman's rear to Ray Rice making the San Diego Chargers defense fall like dominoes in a 4th-and-29 game-saving run to the sprinklers cooling off the players in Miami, there was no shortage of entertainment value. Take a dive with me as we wrap up the fantasy regular season in many leagues this week. QB Brandon Weeden Hopefully, Weeden is not your starting quarterback. However, injuries to Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger could make this a possibility. Fortunately, Week 13 should be a great opportunity for the Browns' rookie quarterback to shine as Cleveland battles the Oakland Raiders. Apparently, Weeden is not fond of the "Dawg Pound" as his numbers are significantly better on the road with 8 TDs and 3 INT for the season. Oakland's secondary has allowed three-touchdown outings to opposing quarterbacks for three games in a row. Week 13 Results: 200 passing yards and 2 TDs RB Jacquizz Rodgers The Michael Turner era in Atlanta may be ending with Jaquizz Rodgers Rodgers' on the horizon. Turner's struggles resulted in Rodgers earning 31 snaps last game. Over the last six games, Rodgers has averaged 5.3 yards per carry and played a major role in the passing game. With an attractive matchup against New Orleans, who has allowed the most rushing yards in the league, Rodgers may be a sneaky play this week. Week 13 Results: 100 total yards and 1 TD WR Ryan Broyles With Titus Young in the doghouse or "Lion's Den," opportunity will knock again for Broyles to serve as Matthew Stafford's secondary target. Broyles caught six passes off of 12 targets for 126 receiving yards in Week 12. Detroit battles the Indianapolis Colts who are tied for most receptions allowed to opposing wide receivers. Week 13 Results: 100 receiving yards and 1 TD TE Dwayne Allen With ...