Fantasy Outlook - Championship Sunday
If you are in the minority of teams who has survived the 2014 fantasy football season to advance to Championship Week, congrats! You've been able to overcome injuries, inconsistencies and (sometimes) incompetent opponents.
There may have been some bleak moments, but you have stood tall and risen to the top of the heap.
If your team has advanced to the Week 16 championship game, chances are good that you have a healthy, solid team and don't need to hunt for potential starters on this week's waiver wire.
But if you still have some tough decisions to make, maybe some of my upcoming input may help. Let's start (as always) by looking ahead to the Packers game.
After a rough horrendous performance last week by Aaron Rodgers and the offensive unit in Buffalo, look for them to bounce back with a vengeance at Tampa Bay this week.
The lowly Buccaneers rank 24th in the league against opposing quarterbacks, allowing almost 20 fantasy points per game. They're also in the bottom half of the league against running backs (18.7), wide receivers (24.3), kickers (8.4) and opposing D/STs (12.9).
That being said, expect a hefty bounce back by the Packers in the realm of fantasy land. ESPN.com currently has Rodgers projected for 280 yards and 3 TDs, with Randall Cobb (13.6 fantasy points) and Jordy Nelson (15.1) each catching one score. Personally, I see Rodgers easily eclipsing the 300-yard mark this week. Four or five touchdowns wouldn't be a huge shock either.
Eddie Lacy is projected for around 70 yards rushing and one touchdown on the ground. ESPN also has James Starks getting in the mix with 6-8 rushing attempts for around 30 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, look for Clay Matthews and the defense to take advantage of an inconsistent Buccaneers offensive unit. Quarterback Josh McCown has turned the ball over ten times in the last four weeks (6 interceptions, 4 fumbles), has averaged 233 passing yards per game and 10.8 fantasy points during that stretch as well. I see a solid game for the D/ST as well.
Here are more players around the league projected to score big for their fantasy owners in Week 16:
Quarterbacks 1. Andrew Luck (@DAL) - 25.1 2. Aaron Rodgers (@TB) - 25 3. Tom Brady (@NYJ) - 23.3
Running Backs 1. Justin Forsett (@HOU) - 17.3 2. Jamaal Charles (@PIT) - 16.9 3. C.J. Anderson (@CIN) - 16.6
Wide Receivers 1. Dez Bryant (vs IND) - 16.2 2. Calvin Johnson (@CHI) - 16.1 3. Demaryius Thomas (@CIN) - 16.1 4. DeAndre Hopkins (vs BAL) - 16.1
Tight Ends 1. Rob Gronkowski (@NYJ) - 14.6 2. Jimmy Graham (vs ATL) - 14 3. Travis Kelce (@PIT) - 12.7
Defenses 1. Bills (@OAK) - 14 2. Eagles (@WAS) - 11 3. Lions (@CHI) - 9 4. Packers (@TB) - 9