Week 12 Fantasy Headlines: RGIII Carves Up the Dallas Cowboys with 4TD Passes Monster Thanksgiving Outings From AJ & Megatron Rob Gronkowski-Less Patriots Steamroll the Jets A.J. Green's Scoring Streak Ends Steelers Commit 8 Turnovers During Ugly Loss to Browns Reggie Wayne Sets a New NFL Record Denver's New Starting RB Is Knowshon Moreno? The Henne-led Jaguars Offense Goes Off Again Matty Ice & Julio Jones Help Upend the Bucs 49ers Defense Throttles Saints Offense Eli Manning & the Giants Throttle the Packers Game Summaries & Fantasy Commentary: Thanksgiving Day Games: HOUSTON TEXANS 34 (10-1) DETROIT LIONS 31 (4-7) Final/OT Fantasy Focus -- Houston Texans: The injury-depleted-and-worn-down Houston defense struggled for the second straight game, which opened the door for more offensive fireworks from Andre Johnson (9-188-0 on 15 targets) and company. The 461 receiving yards that Johnson amassed during the last two weeks is the largest total ever compiled in back-to-back games. Detroit Lions linebacker Justin Durant held Owen Daniels (4-20-1 on eight targets) in check most of the afternoon, but Daniels salvaged his fantasy outing with touchdown grab No. 6 on the season. After exploding for an 8-82-2 line against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, backup tight end Garrett Graham (3-17-0 on five targets) came back down to earth as expected. Because the Texans had to shift into comeback mode for the second straight week, Matt Schaub (29/48 for 315-1-1) has passed for an insane 842 yards and six touchdowns during that stretch. In the rushing department, Arian Foster (20-102-2 rushing and 5-15-0 receiving) notched his sixth 100-yard game of the season, and he has scored in 10 of 11 contests played. As you probably know, Justin Forsett (5-87-1 rushing and 0-0-0 receiving) scored on a controversial 81-yard touchdown scamper that shouldn't have counted. Ben Tate (hamstring) was inactive, missing his fourth straight game. Fantasy Tip: The loss of top cornerback Johnathan Joseph (hamstring) has been devastating to the Houston defense and explains for the most part why this unit has allowed a ton of passing yardage two weeks in a row. In addition, No. 2 cornerback Kareem Jackson is an average-at-best player and lacks Joseph's talents. As long as the Houston defense is struggling, you can expect Johnson, Schaub and company to get into fantasy friendly shootouts. If Tate returns, look for the Texans to reduce Foster's carries slightly. ...

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, we are now headed into the homestretch of the NFL season. There are a few running backs, quarterbacks and receivers that are not locks for Week 12. Hopefully, you survived Week 11 and were blessed with one of the many monster performances from the likes of Andre Johnson, Justin Blackmon, Matt Schaub, Robert Griffin III, or Chad Henne (no, that is not a typo). Take a dive with me this week before you celebrating Thanksgiving and begin the Black Friday rush. QB Colin Kaepernick Gut call. If you heard coach Jim Harbaugh's post-game interview, he will be going with the "hot hand" for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Alex Smith has been solid this year. However, rookie quarterback Kaepernick just shredded the Chicago Bears, one of the top defenses in the league. Grab Kaepernick off of waivers and consider him a spot starter if you have a struggling quarterback. If he plays this weekend against New Orleans, he should provide a generous amount of points for owners that take a chance on him. Week 12 Forecast: 225 passing yards, 40 rushing yards, 2 TD RB Ronnie Hillman Hillman has exhibited sparks in a limited fashion backing up Willis McGahee. After McGahee's season-ending injury, opportunity will be knocking for Hillman. The rookie will receive the bulk of carries, while he will also be involved in the passing game against a weak Kansas City defense that has allowed opposing backs a minimum of 104 yards on the ground in six of the last seven games. Denver may be "pass first," but Hillman should have a solid outing and hit paydirt. Week 12 Forecast: 90 total yards, TD WR Andre Johnson (Editor's note: This was submitted prior to Thursday's game) It certainly does not seem long ago when Johnson was considered a first-round draft pick. After a slew of injuries, inconsistent production, and a run-focused offense led by Arian Foster, Johnson's status as "must start" was iffy this season. Despite consistent targeting from Matt Schaub, Johnson's production has been an absolute rollercoaster ride with three games of more than 100 receiving yards including Sunday's 273-yard goliath performance with 19 targets, but also three starts with 35 yards or less. He should be started Thursday against the Detroit Lions, who have allowed more than 100 yards to opposing wide receivers in every week except for one. Week 12 Forecast: 100 yards, TD TE Owen Daniels (Editor's note: This was submitted prior ...

This week's lines are from usatoday.com (as of Wednesday night). ATS - Against the Spread; SU - Straight Up; O/U - Over/Under New England Patriots at New York Jets (+7) The Patriots are coming off a 59-24 thrashing of the Indianapolis Colts last week but took a big hit in the loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski who broke his forearm. Their other star tight end, Aaron Hernandez (ankle), is listed as questionable but is expected to play after missing the last three games. New England has been playing well, winning six of its last seven games. They have a lot of options on offense and should not miss a beat without Gronkowski. The Jets showed some signs of life last week, winning in St. Louis by a score of 27-13. Quarterback Mark Sanchez finally had a decent game, completing 15-of-20 passes for a touchdown. I don't expect them to beat New England but they should be able to score a few points against the Patriots defense, which ranks 30th against the pass in the NFL. In their last meeting, the Patriots won, 29-26, on Oct. 21. The Patriots are 8-2 ATS on the Over in games this season. Gimme the Over. Houston Texans at Detroit Lions (+3) The Texans are coming off an ugly overtime win against Jacksonville last week. The defense failed to show up and allowed backup quarterback Chad Henne to throw for 354 yards and four touchdowns. Matt Schaub threw for 527 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Andre Johnson accounted for 273 of those yards and a touchdown. The last time Houston allowed 40-plus points in a game was against the Green Bay Packers. They bounced back the next game, defeating the Baltimore Ravens by 30 points. I'm expecting the Texans to do the same against the Detroit Lions, who have lost two straight division games and are pretty much out of the playoff race. Gimme the Texans minus the points. Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys (-3) Tony Romo and the Cowboys needed overtime to defeat the Cleveland Browns last week. Wide Receiver Dez Bryant seems to have turned things around lately, collecting 12 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. In last week's win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III continued to impress in his rookie campaign, completing 14-of-15 passes for four touchdowns. This game could go either way, and I don't have a good feeling about this one, but if I had to pick one, I'd go with the rookie and take the points. The Cowboys are 0-4 ATS at home this season. Gimme the ...

Larry Fitzgerald's stock continues to plummet. It's not his fault, but Fitzgerald might have the worst quarterback options in the league throwing him the ball. You know, besides the Kansas City Chiefs. It's actually completely possible that Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, and some guy named Ryan Lindley may all be left-handed and not know it. In any case, Fitzgerald caught just one of his seven targets for 11 yards, including one overthrow when he was wide open for a score. His quarterback situation was the one strike against him going into the season, and it looks to be the one thing holding him back. Even with his considerable talent, I'm not sure he's a WR1 at this point. James Starks is now the guy to roster in Green Bay's backfield. The running back carousel continues in Green Bay. First, it was Cedric Benson. Then, Alex Green was given a shot. Now, it's come full circle back to last year's starter. Starks ran 25 times for 74 yards, which is unimpressive, but what was telling was that the Packers stuck with the run. The team knows that Aaron Rodgers can throw the ball, but it will need to run the ball down the stretch. Keep in mind that Benson should return some time in mid-December, but Starks is the guy for now, which is to say he's the guy for this week. A.J. Green is making a case as the top receiver in the league. In my own rankings, I had Green as the eighth receiver behind Calvin Johnson, Wes Welker, Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, Victor Cruz, Jordy Nelson and Julio Jones. I still think those preseason choices were defensible, at least at the time, but Green has since taken exception. On Sunday, he caught six balls for 91 yards and a score, his 10th touchdown in his last nine games. His consistency is coveted across fantasy leagues, and he will continue to be a Top 5 option every week. The Nick Foles era was fun while it lasted. Well, that was quick. In his first NFL start, the rookie completed just 21-of-46 passes for 204 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He looked overmatched, even against a suspect Washington pass defense, as the Eagles mustered just six points. Since the game, the "significant" concussion Michael Vick suffered in Week 10 has miraculously improved to the point that he may be available in Week 12. If he can pass his baseline concussion tests, he will probably get the start. Josh Freeman is a viable QB1. On Sunday, Freeman threw for 248 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Including this past week, ...

Week 11 Fantasy Headlines: Matt Schaub Racks Up 527 Passing Yards & 5 TD Passes AJ Compiles Career-High 14 Catches and 273 Receiving Yards Chad Henne & Justin Blackmon Both Compile Monster Outings Brady & Patriots Roll Over Colts; Gronkowski Injured "The Arm" Torches Philadelphia With 4 TD Passes Arian Foster's Scoring Streak Snapped Matt Ryan Tosses Five Picks and No TDs But Falcons Still Win Another 130-Plus Total-Yard Game From Trent Richardson A.J. Green Scores In His Ninth Straight Game GAME SUMMARIES & FANTASY COMMENTARY: Bye week: Minnesota Vikings (6-4), New York Giants (6-4), Seattle Seahawks (6-4) and Tennessee Titans (4-6). THURSDAY NIGHT GAME: Buffalo Bills 19 (4-6) | Miami Dolphins 14 (4-6) Fantasy Focus -- Bills: Buffalo did not score an offensive touchdown. With Fred Jackson (concussion) inactive, electric C.J. Spiller (22-91-0 rushing and 3-39-0 receiving) carried the offense, amassing 130 total yards on a season-high 25 total touches. Unfortunately, the Bills frequently replaced Spiller in the red zone with the largely ineffective Tashard Choice (6-14-0 rushing and 1-0-0 receiving). With the running game clicking and the much-maligned Buffalo defense playing well, the Bills elected to go conservative on offense. Ryan Fitzpatrick (17/27 for 168-0-0 passing and 3-15-0 rushing) has not tossed a touchdown pass in two of his last three games played, and it was the fifth time this season that Fitzpatrick passed for less than 200 yards in a game. Steve Johnson (6-79-0 on nine targets) topped Buffalo in receiving, and he has caught six balls in two straight contests. Fitzpatrick tried to get the ball to Donald Jones (2-11-0 on five targets) twice in the end zone, but they didn't hook up. The Bills triggerman also had a red-zone pass intended for Scott Chandler (2-30-0 on four targets) broken up. The Buffalo defense allowed seven offense points and racked up three sacks, two interceptions and one recovered fumble. Leodis McKelvin scored on a 79-yard punt return in the first quarter. Fantasy Tip: Although the Bills are trying to get the ball into the hands of Jones more frequently, I wouldn't trust him as anything more than a so-so WR4 right now. The Buffalo offense should reassert itself in Week 12 with a favorable road matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Fantasy Focus -- Dolphins: Remember all the predictions about Reggie Bush (10-20-0 rushing and 2-15-0 receiving) coming out and playing like a man on a mission after he ...

Welcome to Week 9 of Start/Bench and Happy Halloween! Can you believe that we're already more than halfway through the fantasy season/playoffs!? With all the little ones in full Halloween mode today please remember to drive carefully and be on the lookout for all the little revelers. Now, onto some serious business. QUARTERBACKS STUDS Tom Brady *Bye* Drew Brees Robert Griffin III Eli Manning Peyton Manning Aaron Rodgers Ben Roethlisberger Matt Ryan START Michael Vick, Philadelphia at New Orleans: Vick couldn't have picked a better defense to face with his job on the line than New Orleans. The Saints are the most generous defense in fantasy when it comes to giving up points to opposing quarterbacks as they've allowed 2,219 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes while only picking off three passes. If Vick can't get the job done versus this defense then he really should cede the starting job to rookie Nick Foles. Matt Schaub, Houston vs. Buffalo: The Bills defense is terrible no matter which way you slice it. It's run defense is the most generous in fantasy to opposing running backs and its passing defense is the second most generous in fantasy to opposing quarterbacks. The Bills are giving up a league worst 32.4 points per game so there is plenty of fantasy goodness to go around. Cam Newton, Carolina at Washington: This may be the matchup that Newton needs to get back on track. Not only are the Redskins one of the most generous teams versus opposing quarterbacks but when Newton looks across the field he will get a chance to relive his magical rookie season when he sees 2012 rookie phenom Robert Griffin III. At this time last year Newton was the hottest thing in fantasy football, now he's a mid-QB2. BENCH Christian Ponder, Minnesota at Seattle: Ponder will be facing a Seahawks defense that has allowed only eight touchdown passes while picking off seven in eight games. After not throwing an interception in his first four games this season Ponder has seven picks in his last four games combined. On the road against a tough Seattle defense look for Ponder to extend his streak of games with an interception to five. Brandon Weeden, Cleveland vs. Baltimore: The last time Weeden faced the Ravens back in Week 4 he threw for 320 yards and zero touchdowns with one interception. Expect more of the same except less passing yards this time around as the Ravens are the fifth toughest defense versus opposing quarterbacks having allowed only six ...

This is the week with the most teams on bye (six) all season. No other week has this many teams on bye, so this should be the thinnest you'll be all year as for you choices for your starting lineup. That being said, if you've got a player on your roster and you're not starting him this week when your other players are on bye, you might as well just drop him. If you're not starting him as a bye week filler, when are you going to start him? Now, if that guy you're hanging onto is a handcuff for another player on your roster, or a player that would see their playing time shoot up drastically if the guy in front of them gets hurt, keep hanging on to that guy. If you're hanging onto a player thinking that you'll use them when the time is right, this is that time. Otherwise, they're just taking up space on your roster. Now onto the calls for the week. Quarterbacks If you grabbed Andrew Luck in your draft and you're wondering if you should start him this week, the answer would be yes. Luck is playing against a Cleveland defense that is allowing an average of over 300 yards passing and 2.5 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks on the season. Cleveland's defense is the second worst in the league at giving up fantasy points to quarterbacks. Getting Luck in your lineup would be a ‘good call' this week. Andy Dalton is slowly becoming one of my favorite young quarterbacks. He's not hitting that sophomore slump that most young quarterbacks hit. He's had three 3-touchdown games already this year. He had just one three touchdown game all of last year. Dalton's matchup with Pittsburgh this week, seems to look tough of paper, but the Steelers defense has only seen two Top 10 quarterbacks this year (Peyton Manning and Michael Vick). Dalton is improving every week, and he looks to be a strong play that would be a ‘good call' to be in your lineup this week. If you've got another option besides Matthew Stafford this week, I'd use him. Stafford has only thrown four touchdown passes all year, and the Chicago defense he'll be going against in Chicago has only allowed four touchdown passes all year. If you think Stafford is going to throw more than one into the end zone this week, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Stafford might have a decent week for yardage, but an interception or two and just one touchdown just isn't going to get it done this week. Stafford is a ‘bad call' and I'd sit him if you've got another decent option. Another quarterback who's going against a ...

I will not be adding or removing anyone from 'Studs' list this week. There are players on the verge of being added and being removed, but I'd like to see a little bit more either way before I make a move. But the season continues to march on, so let's take a look at Week 6's Start/Bench. QUARTERBACKS STUDS Tom Brady Drew Brees *Bye* Robert Griffin III *Concussion - Should play* Eli Manning Peyton Manning Cam Newton *Bye* Aaron Rodgers Ben Roethlisberger Matt Ryan Matthew Stafford START Kevin Kolb, Arizona vs. Buffalo: If you've got Kevin Kolb on your roster this is the game you've been waiting for as Buffalo is the most generous team in fantasy versus quarterbacks having given up 1,454 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, while only collecting four interceptions. And if that's not enough to convince you to put Kolb into your starting lineup, keep in mind that the Bills have allowed both Mark Sanchez, yes, the Mark Sanchez about to be replaced by Tim Tebow, and Alex Smith, yes, the Alex Smith who loses snaps to the Tebow-like Colin Kaepernick, to both throw for three touchdowns in a game this year. I think that's what my high school English teacher used to refer to as a run-on sentence. Whatever that means. Matt Schaub, Houston vs. Green Bay: From game-manager one week to game-changer the next. That's the new version of Matt Schaub. He won't be asked to carry the offense like he used to in years past but when the matchup is right, like in Week 3 when he passed for four touchdowns versus the Broncos, he can be elite. This week he'll be facing a Packers defense that has allowed a combined 808 yards passing and five touchdown passes over the last two weeks. Look for Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson to get back on track after a subpar Week 5 versus the Jets. Michael Vick, Philadelphia vs. Detroit: What do you get the quarterback who just can't seem to hang on to the football? How about a date with the Detroit Lions! The Lions have been very respectable versus opposing quarterbacks having only allowed 913 passing yards and five touchdowns in four games. But while they've held opposing QBs in check, they've only forced one turnover from the quarterback position, a Week 3 fumble by Jake Locker. Should the stars align and the Lions defense not harass Vick into any turnovers, this could be the breakout game of 2012 for the man with Teflon hands. BENCH Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. New England: Wilson is here just in case you were thinking about ...

Houston 23, New York 17 Houston The Texans opened the game toying with the Jets defense, using Arian Foster on a misdirection to rip-off chunks in the passing game. Owen Daniels ended the drive with a 34-yard touchdown strike. As usual, the Texans then downshifted into second gear, riding their defense and Foster to an undefeated 5-0. Houston's ongoing game plan has crushed the value of wide receiver Andre Johnson and quarterback Matt Schaub. As stated weekly, both players should be under consideration for bench material when Houston plays teams unable to challenge their defense. That will not be the case next week as the Green Bay Packers role into town as Johnson returns to mid-WR2 status while Schaub is a high-end QB2. New York Jets My hats off to Mark Sanchez for his heart and toughness to play a game under constant duress minus his best weapon Santonio Holmes and losing center Nick Mangold mid-game. However, admiration doesn't score fantasy points as Sanchez did his best to muster up 230 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions (although not his fault). Now sharing the backfield with Tim Tebow, Sanchez is a QB5. The lone positive takeaway from the Jets offense was the continued emergence of wide receiver Jeremy Kerley. Already making some waves before this game, Kerley led the team in receiving with five receptions totaling 94 yards on nine targets. Averaging eight fantasy points per game, and with the loss of Holmes, Kerley has upside developing into a nice low-end WR3. Kerley is definitely worthy a roster spot moving forward. After a ringing endorsement from the coaching staff before the season, Shonn Greene's stock is plummeting like it's 2008. Already a plodding running back with very little hip swivel and no real burst, Greene is now engulfed by a four-headed running back by committee as the Jets look like they are auditioning running backs as if it were a casting call for "America's Got Talent."

The second highest rated quarterback last season was Aaron Rodgers per Fleaflicker.com. In fact, Rodgers' average draft position was fourth. Thus far, Rodgers' owners have been let down as their first round pick is ranked only 22nd among quarterbacks through three weeks. To make matters worse, Rodgers and his Packers suffered one of their most disappointing losses to date. In arguably the most controversial game-ending play in NFL history, the Green Bay Packers were under the impression that their defense successfully defended the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson's Hail Mary pass into the end zone as the game clock expired. Although it appeared Green Bay had intercepted this deep bomb, the referees reviewed the catch and confirmed that Seattle's Golden Tate held possession, which resulted in a game-winning touchdown for Seattle. Fans across the globe were shocked at this decision and expressed their feelings via social networks, message boards and thousands of messages to the NFL Commissioner's office resenting the decision made by the replacement referees. Although this play did not affect the slow start of Aaron Rodgers, it certainly was a damaging blow to him and the Packers as they suffered their second defeat in a row. They now sit behind the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings in the ultra competitive NFC North division. QB Matt Schaub- After last season, many owners hesitated in drafting Matt Schaub due to his injury history and Houston's run-focused offense led by Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Schaub is coming off a performance where he threw four touchdowns in Week 3 and faces the Tennessee Titans this weekend, who allow the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Schaub has thrown at least two touchdowns against Tennessee in five straight games, which bodes well for his performance this weekend. Week 4 Forecast: 250 passing yards, 2 TD RB Cedric Benson- Benson worked his way up Green Bay's running back depth chart after being acquired in the offseason. Thus far, his numbers have been sub-par. In his defense, Benson has encountered San Francisco, Chicago, and Seattle, which are all very difficult to run against. In Week 4, Benson will face the New Orleans' Saints who were just completely trampled by Kansas City's Jamaal Charles. Although Benson does not have the explosive potential of Charles, he should still have a solid game. Week 4 Forecast: 110 total yards, TD WR Vincent Jackson- Tampa Bay's new addition will not earn ...