This past week proved that, in fantasy football, bad matchups and poor circumstances can ruin the best of lineups.
We opined last week that you might want to sit two NFL greats: Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Resumes aside, we thought fantasy mavens couldn't count on them to produce in Week 13.
Jackson wound up going touchdown free, barely completing half of his passes. Jefferson did even worse: a two-catch, four-yard game in his most ineffective performance since Pony League.
We're just one week from the three-week fantasy playoff run. Here are 10 guys whose matchups in Weeks 15-17 are far less than optimal:
Breece Hall (Jets RB) -- He managed only his third rushing touchdown last week. And with Jaguars, Saints and Patriots coming up, he'll have to work really hard to add his fourth.
R.J. Harvey (Broncos RB) -- Denver rookie looked great at times last Sunday night, but he has three tough run defenses ahead in Packers, Jaguars and Chiefs.
Rico Dowdle (Panthers RB) -- He's losing touches to teammate Chuba Hubbard lately, and neither will thrive in upcoming games against the Saints, Bucs and Seahawks.
Jaylen Warren (Steelers RB) -- Another back sharing too much work with a teammate (Kenneth Gainwell). And the run defenses of Dolphins, Lions and Browns are all above average.
Xavier Worthy (Chiefs WR) -- Easy game against Titans is sandwiched by games with Chargers and Broncos. It's also obvious now he's clearly behind Rashee Rice in the pecking order.
Rome Odunze (Bears QB) -- Sophomore has only one TD catch in his past eight games, and Bears' next three foes (Browns, Packers, 49ers) will make QB Caleb Williams sweat.
Dalton Kincaid (Bills TE) -- Has only nine catches in three games since returning from injury, and Buffalo has three tough defenses ahead in Patriots, Browns and Eagles.
Sam Darnold (Seahawks QB) -- Former Viking has cooled off over the past month, and his next three are against Colts, Rams (who just intercepted him four times) and Panthers.
Caleb Williams (Bears QB) -- As alluded to earlier, the Chicago sophomore will have his newfound proficiency tested by three of the NFL's better defenses.
Jared Goff (Lions QB) -- Detroit needs him to step up in order to claim a playoff berth, and with the next three against the Rams, Steelers and Vikings, it's not a certainty he will.
Don't count on Chicago RBs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai repeating their Black Friday magic against the Packers' tough defense. ... Same goes for Chargers RB Kimani Vidal against a bruised Eagles D. ... Vegas RB Ashton Jeanty has almost no blocking to speak of and will have another long day against Denver. ... Tua Tagovailoa will continue to disappoint against the Jets' defense, and that will make WR Jaylen Waddle "almost" unstartable. ... Baltimore's Lamar Jackson is again an iffy QB choice versus Pittsburgh. ... And two quarterbacks we expect to be mostly kept in check are Arizona's Jacoby Brissett against the Rams and ... yes ... the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes against Houston's top-shelf defense.
Someone is going to thrive for Cleveland this week against 1-11 Tennessee. It won't be Shedeur Sanders. It very likely will be RB Quinshon Judkins. ... The Lions will need to run roughshod through Dallas, and Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery will. ... Tampa Bay RB Bucky Irving looked strong in his return from injury and will post strong numbers versus New Orleans. ... Vikings have little choice but to rely on RB Jordan Mason against Washington. ... Seattle wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba was mostly quiet against the Vikings, but he'll rebound facing that Atlanta defense. ... Two receivers that will stay hot are Houston's Nico Collins against the Chiefs and Jacksonville's Jakobi Meyers versus the Colts. ... And the Bills' defense better be ready, because Cincy quarterback Joe Burrow is BACK!
Couple of big injuries over the long weekend. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert broke a bone in his non-throwing hand, and it remains to be seen if he will miss time. ... Detroit star wideout Amon-Ra St Brown sprained his ankle early on Thanksgiving, and he's considered week to week for the suddenly desperate Lions. ... Players considered questionable include four running backs (Vikings' Aaron Jones, New Orleans' Alvin Kamara, Arizona's Trey Benson and the Chargers' Omarion Hampton) and four pass catchers (Dallas' George Pickens, Atlanta's Drake London, Arizona's Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cincinnati's Tee Higgins).
Sleepers don't get any deeper than Atlanta receiver David Sills V, the only NFL player we're aware of who rocks the V in his name. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of the past two games in which former Viking Kirk Cousins has started at quarterback for the Falcons. So he's hot. Those are also his only two scores since arriving in the league with the 2021 Giants. If you put your faith in him making it three straight, you're a braver fantasy maven than I.
Cowboys at Lions (-2½)
Pick: Lions by 3