The Titans enter the 2010 season with many of the same faces back on offense. Vince Young wasn’t the week 1 starter last year, but handled most of the load and will run the show behind center this season. The Titans didn’t have the 2009 season they were hoping for, but fantasy owners who took a shot on Chris Johnson are not complaining about the team’s offensive attack. The 2009 fantasy MVP will lead the Titans offense again this season and is likely to be the top pick in your fantasy draft. With LenDale White out the door, Javon Ringer steps in as the main handcuff to Johnson. Damian Williams was drafted to add to a wide receiving unit that will return its top four from 2009. Alge Crumpler is gone at the tight end position, but Bo Scaife, Craig Stevens, and Jared Cook are back to replace him.

Fantasy owners shouldn't expect a repeat of 2009, but Chris Johnson is the favorite to be the top fantasy running back again in 2010.

QB: Vince Young : 261-of-443, 3134 yards, 17 TD, 14 INT, 72 carries, 361 yards, 3 TD – Young will never be an elite passer, but will be productive enough through the air that, when coupled with his elite running skills for a quarterback, he is worth considering as your backup quarterback in most fantasy leagues. The Titans will be a running team again in 2010, so don’t expect too much from him, but a top 15 finish among quarterbacks could be in the cards.

RB: Chris Johnson : 340 carries, 1770 yards, 12 TD, 64 targets, 45 receptions, 429 yards, 2 TD – Although fantasy owners should be careful not to expect Johnson to repeat or best his insane 2009 numbers, they can feel confident that he will be fantasy’s top back again in 2010. The projection you see here for Johnson actually indicates a drop in touches, yards-per-carry, and touchdown rate. Despite all that, he still ranks #1 among running backs. If he plays all 16 games, he will be that top back.

RB: Javon Ringer : 77 carries, 379 yards, 2 TD, 9 targets, 6 receptions, 52 yards, 0 TD – I haven’t been covering guys who I expect to see fewer than 100 touches, but Ringer is an exception for 1 reason: He is Chris Johnson’s handcuff. If you’re a Johnson owner, make sure you reach on the 2nd-year man from Michigan State. Furthermore, even if you don’t have Johnson, feel free to reach a little bit for this guy. NFL running backs have a history of poor seasons after a huge one like the one we saw from Johnson in 2009. Ringer would have significant fantasy value if Johnson were to go down.

WR: Nate Washington : 82 targets, 41 receptions, 539 yards, 5 TD – Kenny Britt is the long-term #1 receiver in Tennessee, but he’s had maturity issues, which is holding him back from being the go-to guy. Even when Britt was playing well last season, Washington was involved. He’s always had a nose for the endzone and could easily lead this team in targets in 2010. Considering that the team doesn’t pass often and spreads the ball around when it does, however, Washington isn’t even a top 60 WR option.

WR: Kenny Britt : 78 targets, 45 receptions, 715 yards, 4 TD – Britt, as mentioned, should probably be the top receiver on this team, but there is no telling if he will show the maturity needed to grow into an elite player at the position. Still, he should end up close to Washington in targets and could easily reach 100 if he earns the WR1 job at some point this offseason. Right now, he is a borderline Top 50 option.

TE: Bo Scaife : 59 targets, 39 receptions, 370 yards, 2 TD – With Alge Crumpler now in New England, Scaife will lead a solid trio of tight ends in 2010. Craig Stevens is expected to step in and replace Crumpler as the main blocking tight end, while Jared Cook was a disappointment as a rookie in 2009. Scaife quietly was targeted on 15% of the Titans pass attempts in 2009 and should be in for another 60 or so looks again this time around. He’s barely a top 25 option at the position, however, and should only be considered as a backend TE2.

Indianapolis Colts

Quote Head Coach Jim Caldwell:
“(On Anthony Gonzalez)He looks good. I’ve had the chance to watch him here the last few weeks actually. He’s moving well, and certainly catching the ball well, but also I just think he looks like he’s well equipped to start right where he left off. I think he’s done very well at this point.”

Returning from an injury that cost him the entire 2009 season, Anthony Gonzalez will compete with Austin Collie for time in the slot.

The Spin:
Reports claim that Gonzalez has the same speed that he had last year and looks like he is 100%. Gonzalez almost exclusively played the slot in 2008. I think we will see that again. I expect Garcon to be lining up on the outside and Gonzalez in the slot. It appears the odd man out in this situation could be Austin Collie if Gonzalez performs up to expectations.

Other news:
Pre-OTA reports show Donald Brown getting all of the first team work. However, Addai was held out of practice. To me, really what the starting gig comes down to is who can protect Peyton Manning better. If Brown shows he can be a solid blocker for Peyton, Brown is the back that I want. The more work he gets with Manning, the more likely it becomes that Brown could be a good blocker and get more playing time.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Quote Head Coach Jack Del Rio:
“Well, I think the one guy we have that is clearly the best guy in the group is Mike Sims-Walker. He had a nice mini-camp this weekend. I think after that you’ve got Mike Thomas and Jarett Dillard; they would be two and three in my book from last year, and those guys are now here working every day with David and getting the timing down.”

The Spin:
Jack’s comment at first glance seems to lay out the depth chart pretty cut and dry for us. But as all good coach speak implies, nothing is ever set in stone. Jack informs us of the depth chart from last year and tells us that the same guys are working with David Garrard. Troy Williamson was on IR for much of the year so it is easy for Jack to not mention him. Right now Williamson is on the outside looking in, but I do think Williamson has a chance at the starting gig opposite Mike Sims-Walker. Team reports claim that Dillard has really impressed to date. Mike Thomas is currently penciled in as the WR2.

Quote General Manager Gene Smith:
“(On Deji Karim)He can mismatch a linebacker, a safety, a third corner,” said. “He’s smart. He graduated from college. You can do things with a guy like that.”

The Spin:
6th round rookie RB/KR Deji Karim is a name to get familiar with. He has impressed and from all indications it appears he has the lead for the job as the kick returner.  Karim has also voiced that the Jaguars have told him they do intend him to be a change of pace back at some point. So far in camp he has not had too much work as a RB but he has impressed when given the chance. Rashad Jennings meanwhile looks as if he has added weight and strength. I think Karim could actually help Jennings value in 2010. Karim being the return specialists allows Jennings to focus solely on the offense. I think that Jennings will end up getting more carries than last year. Look for Jones-Drew to be rested more in an effort to keep him fresh.

Houston Texans

Quote Head Coach Gary Kubiak:
“(Arian Foster) went from first year to second year a big jump, just watching him practice,” said Kubiak. “Foster is taking advantage of rookie Ben Tate’s absence. He showed enough late last season to believe he has at least a puncher’s chance of starting in Week 1.”
“(Tate) is way behind everybody right now, but we’ve got to be smart and get him well before he competes.”

The Spin:
Arian Foster’s stock does get a boost with him getting work over Steve Slaton, but I would not entrench Foster as a stud (or starter) just yet. Ben Tate has been out with a hamstring injury. Ryan Moats is out with family issues. Slaton is working with the second team and has lost 11 pounds from last year. Slaton is looking to reclaim some of the quickness he had in 2008. This could be a situation in which Slaton is gearing up for more of a 3rd down role. If Tate proves that he deserves carries this year as he is expected too, it could leave Arian Foster with limited carries in a running back by committee situation. Kubiak claims that Houston really needs Slaton to have an impact this year. In a pass happy offense like Houston, the 3rd down back might have the best value. Slaton still could end up being the best back to have this year even with his surgery.

Other news:
6th round rookie return specialist Trindon Holiday has impressed the staff. Holiday posted the 2nd best overall 40 time in the 2010 combine. Return leaguers should obviously take note and Jacoby Jones owners take note as well. If Holiday takes over the punt and kick returning duties, we could likely see the coaching staff get Jones more involved in the offensive game plan. This bodes well for Jones’ value as a receiver.

Tenneessee Titans

Quote Head Coach Jeff Fisher:
“Because of the fact Bo is not here and Alge will not be returning, right now Craig [Stevens] and Jared are our tight ends. Cookie [Jared Cook] can get open as we all know. He has a much better feel for the line of scrimmage now.”

The Spin:
This news was before Bo Scaife returned to camp so we can’t take too much from it. However, it is good to see that Jeff Fisher appreciates Jared Cook’s receiving ability. This is a situation to watch, but I would not put to much stock in this unless there is an injury to Scaife. Fisher loves to go with veteran guys and likes to run the offense with multiple tight ends. Add the fact that Titans are a run first team and I just don’t see Jared as having much of a chance of a breakout in 2010.

Quote Head Coach Jeff Fisher:
“Clearly Justin [Gage] and Nate [Washington] with the experience can make the plays. They have shown in and are reliable. Then the rest of the group is bunched up there. We will see what happens.”

The Spin:
As expected, Gage and Washington are the starters right now. This does not bode well for Damian Williams. Considering Fisher’s likeness for veterans, I just don’t see how Damian will get on the field very much in 2010 without injuries ahead of him.

Other News:

Stafon Johnson has been getting most of the recent work with the first team and the staff has been impressed with his quickness. It is always good to hear the staff is impressed with someone, but don’t buy too much into this. Chris Johnson, Javon Ringer and LeGarrette Blount were all out for various reasons. At best, Johnson is 3rd on this depth chart and still may not make the team.

Running Backs –

Maurice Morris – I’m fairly certain that I was the only one talking this cat up all week and it paid off with a huge effort on Sunday. I speculated that Morris could touch the ball close to 20 times and he responded with 17 carries for 126 yards and a rushing touchdown along with 6 looks, 5 receptions, and 35 receiving yards. That’s a solid 20+ point effort in most formats.

Advice: I see no reason why anything would change in weeks 16 and 17. Morris should continue to approach 20 touches each week unless the team decides to give Aaron Brown a chance to show what he do. I can’t guarantee Morris will go over the century mark again, but he’s a solid RB2 play in 12 team leagues.

Jerome Harrison – Not many people had Harrison in their lineup this week and rightfully so. There was no telling if Harrison would see most of the looks, or if it would be Chris Jennings, who saw 20 carries in week 14, compared to just 7 for Harrison. Still, even has the backup, Harrison should’ve been considered a very deep sleeper up against the porous Chiefs. He showed up big time with 34 carries, 286 yards, and 3 touchdowns in what is the biggest fantasy performance by a running back this season. This is not Harrison’s first big game of the season. Back in week 4 he went for 152 yards on 34 touches, but the next week he touched the ball just 8 times with Jamal Lewis back in the fold. Lewis is gone now, but Jennings is still in the mix in Cleveland.

Advice: You almost have to consider Harrison in your flex spot for week 16, but you shouldn’t feel comfortable about it and you won’t hear me recommending it. The Browns run offense has been anything but effective for a majority of the season and the split in carries has been off the charts inconsistent. He has upside, but don’t be shocked if he ends up with 28 total yards on 9 touches.

Michael Bush – An injury to Justin Fargas allowed Michael Bush to rush for 133 yards and a score on 18 carries against Denver on Sunday. Prior to that game, Bush had carried the ball only 8 times since week 11. Fargas’ injury seems to be minor and if he is back in the fold next week, Bush cannot be relied on for double-digit looks once again. Although you’d expect him to see more looks after such a strong effort, it’s still a three-headed monster in Oakland.

Advice: Unless Fargas is out or Coach Cable says otherwise, Bush is third in line for carries and should not be considered in any format. If Fargas is out or Bush is named the RB2, those of you in very deep leagues who are desperate for help at your flex spot can consider his services.

Jason Snelling – Michael Turner made his return in week 15, which led to the masses dropping Snelling. Turner lasted only 1 carry before sitting out the rest of the game and it’s unknown whether he will suit up for the rest of the season, especially considering that Atlanta has been eliminated from the playoffs. Snelling ended up with only 64 yards, but did have an intriguing 21 looks, which was 10 more than seen by Jerious Norwood.

Advice: Snelling has done an okay job filling in for Turner when he’s missed time and that, coupled with the fact that he could start the team’s final 2 games, means he’s worth consideration as a flex play going forward. That said, if Turner plays, Snelling should not be in your lineup.

Derrick Ward – Whenever I’ve had an empty roster spot this season, Ward has been a player I’ve consistently turned to. Cadillac Williams has stayed relatively healthy so it hasn’t quite paid off as I’d hoped, but consider that in week 15, Ward carried the ball 19 times compared to 12 for Williams. Williams did, however, rack up 88 total yards on 13 touches, which was more efficient than the 73 yards on 20 touches for Ward. Neither has been overly impressive this season, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the timeshare.

Advice: You can’t rely on 20 touches for Ward unless news breaks that he is the new starter. If you have a roster spot to fill, he’s a good speculative pick for your bench, but nothing more right now.

Wide Receivers –

Lance Moore – Moore was back in the fold in week 15 and took advantage by scoring a touchdown despite only 2 looks. Despite the score, two looks should concern you if you’re considering using him in week 16 for several reasons. (a) It’s two looks. That’s not a lot (b) The Saints threw the ball 45 times, which is almost a dozen more pass attempts than they average a game this season and (c) The percentage of passes going to his teammates was about the same as in recent weeks. I’d mention that Jeremy Shockey was out as another reason to be skeptical of Moore, but David Thomas filled in with a whopping 10 targets, which is more than even Shockey is accustomed to.

Advice: Moore will always have decent potential because of the outstanding offense he is a part of, but he’s going to have trouble finding playing time with all the stars around him. At this point, he’s only worth a desperate play in a deep league.

Malcom Floyd – Floyd didn’t exactly light it up after Chris Chambers was cut loose, but he’s now been targeted a total of 16 times over the last 2 games. That is a healthy number for a player not being used in most leagues, but part of the reason for that is the fact that he’s caught only 7 of those 16 balls.

Advice: Any player seeing 8 targets a game in an above average offense is worth keeping an eye on. Floyd isn’t the safest play, but he has a ton of upside and is worth consideration in WR-deep leagues.

Josh Morgan has now been targeted at least 8 times in 3 of the 49ers last 4 games.

Josh Morgan – One of the most popular sleepers heading into this season, Morgan has been a disappointment for fantasy owners who reached on him in their draft. He’s quietly been picking it up over the last few weeks, as he’s now been targeted 8 times in 3 of the 49ers last 4 games. His numbers from the last four games (which includes a 3-catch, 14-yard week 14 effort) total to 29 targets, 22 receptions, 174 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Morgan is the third option in San Francisco with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis keeping Alex Smith busy, but he’s a talented receiver yet to break out who is now seeing almost double-digits in looks every game.

Advice: Definitely worth considering in deeper leagues and someone you should definitely snag for your bench if you’re in any type of dynasty league. The Gore-Crabtree-Morgan-V Davis offense has tons of potential.

Tight Ends –

Bo Scaife – Although Scaife is anything but a gamebreaker, he’s been extremely consistent over the last 6 games and is worth a mention. In those six games, he’s been targeted 42 times, has 25 receptions, 261 yards, and 1 score. He was targeted 10 times on one occasion and has caught 5 balls three times. His high for yardage is 68. What does that all mean? It means he’s a safe play for close to 8 points in PPR formats and considering all the targets, it’s only a matter of time before he gets into the endzone again.

Advice: Again, he doesn’t have a ton of breakout potential, but he’s safe for 4 catches, 50 yards. If you’re desperate for tight end help and looking around on the Waiver Wire, he’s worth a look.

Quick Hits and Follow Ups –

Arian Foster / Ryan Moats / Chris Brown – I’ve been preaching this and preaching this. Stay away from Houston running backs. Everyone was excited about Foster this week and I just didn’t understand it. All it takes is one fumble and the “starter” gets sent to the bench for the rest of the game. Anyone who owned Steve Slaton or Ryan Moats knows all about this. If you played Foster in week 15, now you do, too.

Felix Jones – His touches continue to increase over the last month or two and it’s something worth keeping an eye on. Since week 11, he’s seen no fewer than 9 looks in any given week. His latest effort was 15 looks (14 touches) against the Saints. He racked up 68 yards on those touches and is still averaging just under 6 yards per carry.

Greg Camarillo – Mentioned him last week after he was targeted 17 times in 2 games. Make it 27 times in 3 games after 10 more looks this week. He only caught 5 of them for 46 yards, but bump him up a few notches on your watch list.

Devin Aromashodu – Devin Hester was out again so another guy I mentioned last week saw significant action. Aromashodu saw 10 more targets, but disappointed in the execution part of the deal with only 2 receptions for 10 yards. Hard to recommend him going forward, but if Hester is out again in week 16, those double-digit targets in back-to-back weeks make him worth consideration in deeper leagues.

Bernard Berrian – 7 targets, 5 catches, 36 yards. 6 targets , 4 catches , 43 yards . 5 targets, 3 catches , 25 yards. Those are Berrian’s stat lines from his last three games. Add to the equation that Brett Favre and the running game are struggling and that 6-4-35 average line feels even worse.

Kevin Curtis – Back in the fold in week 15, but was targeted only twice. Jeremy Maclin should still be out in week 16, but there is no reason to believe Curtis will see more than 4-5 looks a game going forward with Jackson, Celek, Avant, and Brown ahead of him for looks. He has potential because this offense is so stellar, but he’s not worth the gamble this week.

Runningbacks:

Leonard Weaver – Weaver, a fullback, went for 100 total yards and a score against the Falcons on Sunday, but note that he touched the ball only 7 times. In fact, in the 6 games Brian Westbrook was inactive this season, he’s averaged just under 7 looks a game. 7 yards per touch is nice, but you can’t expect much on fewer than 10 touches.

Advice: Should not be starting anywhere and should only be owned in the deepest of leagues.

Sammy Morris – Morris is healthy and back in the lineup, which doesn’t bode well for the stock of Laurence Maroney. Morris carried it 9 times on Sunday and was targeted twice, racking up 65 total yards.

Advice: He’s not someone you want to be starting right now, but should be on someone’s bench in 12+ team leagues.

Larry Johnson – Some people still seem to be unclear about his role, so I’m going to clarify it for you: He’s a backup running back who is not, and I repeat, not a threat to Cedric Benson (as can be seen in the week 13 boxscore). Johnson is worth a bench spot in case Benson re-injures himself. In that case, Johnson could see 15-20 looks in an offense that loves to run. That said, even if Benson goes down, Bernard Scott will still steal some of the looks.

Advice: As mentioned, he’s worth a bench spot in all formats, but shouldn’t be starting in any league as long as Benson is active.

Runningback Committees:

Jerome Harrison/Chris Jennings – With Jamal Lewis’ season—and possibly career—over, Harrison and Jennings take over the running back duties for the remainder of the season. Most felt that Jennings would handle much of the workload with Harrison apparently in Eric Mangini’s doghouse, but it was Harrison who had 21 looks in week 13 compared to just 7 for Jennings. Harrison was ineffective in the run game (3.5 YPC), but racked up 62 yards on 7 receptions and scored twice. Jennings, meanwhile, averaged over 5 yards per carry on 5 attempts.

Advice: Harrison is worth a look as a flex player in most formats, especially in PPR. Don’t expect to see 10+ targets every week, but he should see his share with the team usually playing from behind. Jennings is only worth a bench spot in deep leagues.

Rock Cartwright / Quinton Ganther / Marcus Mason – Because Clinton Portis is now officially done for the season, the Redskins running back mess is worth looking into if you’re in need of some help at the position. Cartwright is clearly the top dog so far with 35 looks over the last 2 games, including 28 of the team’s 47 carries by runningbacks. That being said, Ganther was more effective on 5 fewer carries against the Saints on Sunday and could see an extended look during the team’s final few games. The same can be said for Marcus Mason, who despite only 6 carries (8 looks) over the last 2 games, could be in line for a few extra “audition” carries.

Advice: Cartwright has racked up 18 and 17 looks, respectively, over the last 2 games and so he is worth consideration at the flex spot in most formats if you need a body. Ganther is not a bad speculative add in deeper leagues and Mason should only be owned in extremely deep leagues.

Justin Fargas / Darren McFadden / Michael Bush – 27 total carries over the last 2 games for Fargas is more than McFadden (15) and Bush (4) combined. Considering that he’s been effective on those carries (128 yards total), one would have to imagine that they’d continue along with him as their RB1 as long as they are competitive.

Advice: Fargas is worth flex consideration in 12 team standard leagues. McFadden should be owned in dynasty leagues, but is worth no more than bench spot in deeper leagues at this point. Bush has no value unless one of the top 2 are injured.

Wide Receivers:

Kenny Britt – 20 total targets over the last 2 games and a receiving touchdown in three straight for the rookie. The Titans won’t continue to pass the ball 43 times a game like they did the last two weeks, but Britt should still see 7-8 targets most weeks.

Advice: Worth consideration in 16 team leagues, but you shouldn’t feel too comfortable quite yet, especially considering that this team will be running the ball more than they have been and the inconsistency of Britt’s looks this season.

Devin Thomas – I touched on Thomas last week in my ‘Things you should know’ feature, as a player who was seeing more looks, but was unlikely to make a huge fantasy impact this season. He sure made me look silly with 7 receptions on 7 targets for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. I’d call that fantasy relevant. Thomas has be targeted 20 times total over the last 3 games and is seemingly earning the trust of Jason Campbell.

Advice: You shouldn’t feel comfortable with him as your WR3 in standard leagues quite yet, but he’s certainly worth a bench spot. He should certainly be owned in dynasty leagues considering his age and potential.

Sam Aiken – Aiken should be getting some attention after putting up 80+ receiving yards each of the last two games. Although he was looked at a healthy 10 times versus the Saints two weeks ago, you won’t see anything close to that most weeks considering that Wes Welker and Randy Moss see double-digit targets almost every game. On the year, Aiken is averaging only 3 looks a game, which is exactly what he saw in week 13. Fortunately for his owners (there’s not too many of you), his only reception of the three looks was an 81 yard touchdown.

Advice: Worth a speculative bench spot in deeper leagues and is a desperation start candidate in those same leagues just because of the Patriots’ offensive potential.

Brian Robiskie – Finally getting into the action, the rookie and pre-season sleeper favorite caught 4 of his 5 targets for 69 yards on Sunday and is back on the waiver wire map. It would be surprising not to see plenty of balls thrown his way as the season winds down, but he’s still competing with and likely behind Harrison, Jennings, Cribbs, Massaquoi, and Stuckey for looks.

Advice: Only worth a spot in dynasty leagues. If you’re in a very deep redraft league and looking for a deep sleeper for your bench, he should be a candidate.

Tight Ends:

Jermichael Finley is sure to be a hot Waiver Wire add this week, but make sure you put in a claim if you need help at tight end.

Jermichael Finley – Finley is going to be a hot commodity this week after a huge 2 touchdown game on national television Monday night. I’ve been on the Finley bandwagon for quite a while, so you know I think you should put in a claim if you are shaky at tight end. He’s quickly becoming one of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite weapons with 24 targets total over the last 3 games. He’s caught an impressive 17 of those passes for 158 yards and 3 scores. He missed some time with a leg injury earlier this year, but don’t let that scare you away from one of the game’s top young fantasy tight ends.

Advice: Finley will be a borderline top 10 tight end the rest of the way and should be treated accordingly.

Fred Davis – Sticking with the Redskins theme, next on my list is Fred Davis. I’ve talked about him previously, but only now is he officially a starter for the rest of the season after Chris Cooley was finally placed on IR. Davis has been targeted 9 times each of the last 2 games, which is a lot for a tight end. He has 9 catches for 96 yards over those 2 games and scored a touchdown in both. That’s 10.3 and 11.3 fantasy points, respectively, in standard scoring leagues.

Advice: If he’s unowned and you are struggling at tight end, he is a pretty solid option considering the looks coming in. Don’t start him over a top tight end, but if you are bouncing around between John Carlson and Dustin Keller, Davis should be in your lineup going forward.

Evan Moore – Moore burst onto the scene with 11 targets, 6 catches, and 80 yards in his NFL debut Sunday. Robert Royal, Michael Gaines, and Greg Estandia are also tight ends on the roster, but Royal and Gaines are struggling with injuries and Estandia was a healthy inactive in week 13.

Advice: Not worth a look in any but the deepest of leagues. You’d have to imagine he will see more looks after a great debut, but his contributions will be limited in this, a poor, but improving offense.

Kickers:

Garrett Hartley – This one is pretty straightforward. Hartley has replaced John Carney as the kicker of the NFL’s most potent offense.

Advice: A top 5 kicker in all formats as long he remains the starter.

PHI WR3 Jason Avant – 20 targets over the last 3 weeks, but only 42 on the season. Considering how the Eagles like to spread the ball around, it can be frustrating to own any of their receivers. That being said, DeSean Jackson will likely miss some action, which should only mean more looks for an up-and-coming receiver in a pass-heavy offense.

Jason Avant has been a vacuum for the Eagles over the last 3 weeks and could see even more looks with DeSean Jackson likely to miss some time.

Advice: Assuming Jackson is out, he’s worth a spot start this week if you’re desperate for a WR in any 12 team+ league. He is definitely worth at least a bench spot in deep leagues and in some standard formats.

PHI WR4 Reggie Brown – Is expected to start this week against Atlanta with DeSean Jackson likely on the shelf. He could easily see 6-7 targets on a team that is averaging 36 pass attempts per game and possibly more if the Eagles are trailing.

Advice: Won’t help you much once Jackson is back, so you’re better off rolling with Avant. That said, he’s not the worst one week fill-in.

WAS TE1 Fred Davis – Chris Cooley was officially placed on Injured Reserve, which means Davis is the starter for the rest of the season. Since Cooley was injured a few weeks ago, Davis has been targeted 10, 4, 6, 3, and 9 times, respectively. That is clearly a bit inconsistent, but not terrible for a tight end.

Advice: Borderline starter in 16 team leagues and should be on someone’s bench in all but shallow leagues. Considering the potential he has to catch 5-7 balls, if you’re shaky at tight end, he’s at least worth a spot as your backup.

ATL RB2 Jerious Norwood & RB3 Jason Snelling – Snelling was the main man in week 11 when Michael Turner and Norwood were out, but saw only 4 carries in week 12 when both were active. If Turner misses more action, you should expect Snelling and Norwood to split the carries, with Norwood seeing a heavier dose of the 3^rd down looks and Snelling carrying the ball more, primarily near the goal line. If Turner is active, Norwood will spell him and Snelling won’t see more than 5 looks.

Advice: Norwood’s production will be limited to no more than a few carries and several targets a game regardless of whether it’s Turner or Snelling stealing a majority of the carries and goal line looks. He’s worth a bench spot in deeper leagues and a start if you’re desperate in a PPR league and Turner is out. Snelling should be on someone’s bench in all leagues considering Turner’s health issues.

CHI WR3 Johnny Knox – Knox is probably owned in most of your leagues, but some owners have been dumping him after a poor November. He went without a score from weeks 7-11 before finally catching one in week 12. The week 12 score might prompt people to jump back on the bandwagon, but consider that he was targeted only twice in week 12 and 5 times the week before. He’s made some big plays and Chicago is throwing more than all but 2 teams, but he’s the 4^th or 5^th option in the pass game most weeks and is lucky to have 6 balls thrown his way.

Advice: The potential is there for the rookie, but he’s too shaky to start right now. If you have room, leave him on your bench and keep an eye on the target numbers.

STL WR2 Brandon Gibson & WR3 Danny Amendola – Gibson has now been targeted a grand total of 33 times over the last 3 games, but only 15 of those looks were receptions and those catches were translated into only 172 yards and 0 touchdowns. Amendola is back as a relevant contributor to the passing game after Keenan Burton’s season-ending injury with 15 targets for 11 catches over the last 2 games.

Advice: The Rams offense has been better as of late, but it isn’t going to score touchdowns very often, which means limited value for its wide receivers not named Donnie Avery. That being said, both are seeing a ton of looks and with looks comes production. Both are worth bench spots in deep leagues, but you shouldn’t feel comfortable with them in your starting lineup.

HOU RB2 Chris Brown & RB3 Ryan Moats – The Texans’ cloudy runningback situation is taking form over the last few weeks. It appears that Brown will see most of the carries and Slaton won’t be far behind. Slaton will also be used heavily as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Ryan Moats is not being used at all and likely won’t be unless Slaton struggles or is injured.

Advice: Brown should be treated very much like Beanie Wells. He’s going to carry it 10-15 times most weeks and could score a touchdown here or there, but his value will always be limited (especially in PPR) because another back (Slaton for HOU and Hightower for ARZ) is stealing a portion of the carries and 3^rd down looks.

TEN WR2 Kenny Britt – Vince Young and the rookie Britt seem to be developing some chemistry and that could bode well for Britt’s stock going forward. He’s been targeted by Young 16 times over the last 2 weeks and has responded with 11 catches for 170 yards and 2 scores. Britt should continue to see a respectable amount of looks over the next few weeks, but 2 things will consider to hinder Britt’s stock. (1) Justin Gage is still out with a back injury and could return and take back his starting job soon. (2) Tennessee is throwing the ball only 22-25 times a game most weeks now that Young is behind center. The 43 pass attempts in week 12 are not something you can expect to see going forward.

Advice: Britt is definitely worth a roster spot in deep leagues, but you shouldn’t feel comfortable with him as a starter in a your standard 12 team league.

PIT WR3 Mike Wallace – Wallace has caught only 3 balls total over the last 3 games with the lowlight of his season coming in week 12 when Dennis Dixon failed to connect with him on any of the 4 passes thrown his way.

Advice: Although the rut started while Roethlisberger was behind center, it is not time to give up on Wallace. The Steelers will continue to throw his way 5-7 times a game, which has been enough for him to put up decent numbers. He’s not someone you want as a #1 or #2 WR, but he’s a respectable 3^rd option in most leagues.

CLE WR1 Mohamed Massaquoi & WR2 Chansi Stuckey – Massaquoi (20 targets over the last 2 weeks) and Stuckey (14) seem to have earned the trust of Brady Quinn, who has thrown their way a ton over the last 2 weeks. Stuckey has been more consistent, with 5 catches and a score in week 11 and 4 catches in week 12, while Massaquoi went from 5 catches, 115 yards, and a score in week 11 to only 1 catch in week 12.

Advice: Massaquoi is Quinn’s #1 option, which gives him at least some value in most formats. He’s not the worst you can do in 16 team leagues, but his production is too volatile to be starting him in 12 teamers. Stuckey seems to be developing chemistry with his new quarterback, but don’t expect much more than a few looks and catches each week from him in this shaky offense.