Thursday, December 29, 2016

Week 17 D/ST Preview: Seahawks get good matchup vs. 49ers

Week 17 D/ST Preview (Top-10):
1. Seattle Seahawks - @ SF
2. Arizona Cardinals - @ LA
3. Denver Broncos - vs. OAK
4. Kansas City Chiefs - @ SD
5. Buffalo Bills - @ NYJ
6. New England Patriots - @ MIA
7. Houston Texans - @ TEN
8. Pittsburgh Steelers - vs. CLE
9. Minnesota Vikings - vs. CHI
10. Baltimore Ravens - @ CIN

Seahawks get easy matchup: San Francisco's offense has been rough all season long. Seattle's, the complete opposite. The Seahawks can easy win on Sunday against the 49ers, and win big too.

Week 17 TE Preview: Kielce atop the Top-10 Rankings

Week 17 TE Rankings (Top-10):
1. Travis Kielce, KC - @ SD
2. Greg Olsen, CAR - @ TB
3. Jimmy Graham, SEA - @ SF
4. Delanie Walker, TEN - vs. HOU
5. Kyle Rudolph, MIN - vs. CHI
6. Zach Ertz, PHI - vs. DAL
7. Antonio Gates, SD - vs. KC
8. Eric Ebron, DET - vs. GB
9. Martellus Bennett, NE - @ MIA
10. Charles Clay, BUF - @ NYJ

Kielce faces struggling Chargers defense: Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kielce should see a spike in fantasy production in Week 17 because of the face that he is facing a San Diego Chargers defense that has struggled as of late.

Week 17 WR Preview: Jordy Nelson is No. 1, Martin off the list

Week 17 WR Rankings (Top-10):
1. Jordy Nelson, GB - @ DET
2. Mike Evans, TB - vs. CAR
3. T.Y. Hilton, IND - vs. JAX
4. Julio Jones, ATL - vs. NO
5. Brandin Cooks, NO - @ ATL
6. Michael Thomas, NO - @ ATL
7. Golden Tate, DET - vs. GB
8. Davonte Adams, GB - @ DET
9. Sammy Watkins, BUF - @ NYJ
10. Julian Edelman, NE - @ MIA

Doug Martin off the Week 17 Rankings list: Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Doug Martin would have received a good matchup this weekend against the San Fracisco 49ers defense, but he was suspended four games by the NFL on Wednesday for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Therefore, he's off our Top-10 WR Rankings for this week since he won't play.

Week 17 RB Preview: Johnson, McCoy, Freeman the Top-3

Week 17 RB Rankings (Top-10):
1. David Johnson, ARI - @ LA
2. LeSean McCoy, BUF - @ NYJ
3. Devonta Freeman, ATL - vs. NO
4. Jordan Howard, CHI - @ MIN
5. DeMarco Murray, TEN - vs. HOU
6. Mark Ingram, NO - @ATL
7. Bilal Powell, NYJ - vs. BUF
8. LeGarrette Blount, NE - @ MIA
9. Robert Kelley, WSH - vs. NYG
10. Jay Ajayi, MIA - vs. NE

Bills may be out, but McCoy should have production: When the Bills visit the Jets this Sunday, there is no meaning to the game for both teams. They're both long out of the playoffs, but that won't stop Bills RB LeSean McCoy from being a fantasy beast. McCoy's owners should see great amounts of production against a terribly struggling Jets defense.

Week 17 QB Preview: Rodgers should perform welll vs. Lions

Week 17 QB Rankings (Top-10):
1. Aaron Rodgers, GB - @ DET
2. Matt Ryan, ATL - vs. NO
3. Drew Brees, NO - @ ATL
4. Tom Brady, NE - @ MIA
5. Andrew Luck, IND - vs. JAX
6. Russell Wilson, SE - @ SF
7. Kirk Cousins, WSH - vs. NYG
8. Matthew Stafford, DET - vs. GB
9. Cam Newton, CAR - @ TB
10. James Winston, TB - vs. CAR

Rodgers should play well vs. Lions: Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has been on point all season. But with a division title on the line against the Detroit Lions, which also might mean a playoff spot, Rodgers should lead the Green Bay offense to a win, and clinch the NFC North.

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Week 16 Injuries: Two QBs out, meaning two huge blows to two NFL teams

Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr broke his right fibula in the fourth quarter as his cleat got stuck in the ground while Colts OLB Trent Cole sacked him.

He will have surgery Sunday and is out indefinitely. Carr, an MVP candidate, immediately grabbed his leg and stayed on the turf.

It was only the second time all game the Colts pressured Carr behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines.

Trainers helped him off the field, and Carr couldn't put weight on his right leg. They examined Carr on the sideline before carting him to the locker room.

Matt McGloin replaced the QB in the lineup.

Mariota has fractured fibula: Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota had to be carted off the field in the third quarter after injuring his right leg.

Coach Mike Mularkey said after the game that Mariota has a fractured fibula, adding, "Obviously, he is out."

Matt Cassel replaced the second-year QB in the lineup as the Titans fell to the Jaguars.

Seahawks lose Lockett: Seattle Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett made an incredible near-TD catch late in the second quarter, but he suffered a serious right leg injury on the play.

A source told ESPN that Lockett's leg is broken and that he'll have surgery Sunday morning.

His ankle got pinned under Cardinals CB Brandon Williams as he dove for the catch.

The second-year WR was in visible pain as trainers put an air cast on his leg and carted him off the field.

Other Key Injuries: Carlos Hyde (RB, SF), Cameron Brate (TE, TB), Thomas Rawls (RB, SEA), Robert Griffin III (QB, CLE)

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Week 16 fantasy football inactives watch: Who's in, and who's out?

via ESPN.

To help you set your lineups and avoid starting a player who won't take the field on Saturday, we will post fantasy-relevant updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their inactive lists before kickoff. Any rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff ranks.

Refresh often for the latest information.

Ruled out before Saturday

QB Ryan Tannehill (knee), RB Melvin Gordon (hip), RB Adrian Peterson (knee), RB James Starks (concussion), WR Allen Hurns (hamstring), S Karl Joseph (toe), LB Vontaze Burfict (knee), TE Tyler Eifert (back), CB Delvin Breaux, (shoulder)

Early games, 1 p.m. ET (seven scheduled)

LB Kiko Alonso (hamstring, questionable)
TE Charles Clay (knee, questionable)
LB Preston Brown (foot, questionable)
WR Sammy Watkins (foot, questionable)
DT Kyle Williams (back, questionable)
TE Jordan Reed (shoulder, questionable)
WR Stefon Diggs (hip, questionable)
S Harrison Smith (ankle, questionable)
WR Randall Cobb (ankle, questionable)
RB Matt Forte (knee, doubtful)
WR Brandon Marshall (shoulder, questionable)
DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle, questionable)
LB Dont'a Hightower (knee, questionable)
TE Martellus Bennett (ankle, questionable)
QB Tom Brady (thigh, questionable)

Late games, 4:05 and 4:25 p.m. ET (four scheduled)

LB Craig Robertson (shoulder, questionable)
WR Amari Cooper (shoulder, questionable)
WR Michael Crabtree (finger, questionable)
WR John Brown (illness, questionable)

Saturday night game, 8:25 ET

WR A.J. Green (hamstring, questionable)
RB Jeremy Hill (knee, questionable)
RB Lamar Miller (ankle, questionable)

Updates/analysis (most recent first)

A.J. Green (9:10 a.m.): Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that Bengals doctors have officially pulled the plug on the possibility of Green playing tonight. Expect him to be on the team's inactive list when it comes out later today and be sure to make other fantasy WR plans.

Jordan Reed (9:05 a.m.): A source tells ESPN's Adam Schefter that Reed will not be active today against the Bears due to his injured shoulder. Official word should come down about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Lamar Miller (7:45 a.m.): If the Titans win Saturday against the Jaguars, then Saturday night's game has no significant playoff implications for the Texans. It would all come down to beating Tennessee in Week 17. With so much on the line next week, it's hard to see Houston pressing Miller into action Saturday night.

Jordan Reed (7:35 a.m.): The tight end did not practice for Washington this week, a fact which seems to point toward inactive status. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport agrees, citing a source who said Reed was facing "too quick a turnaround."

A.J. Green (7:30 a.m.): The Cincinnati receiver is adamant that he will play Saturday. However, the Bengals are not as sure and may decide to keep their star wide receiver inactive for another week. Green needs just 36 yards to top 1,000 for the season, so it's possible that if he does play, he may get pulled as soon as he reaches that milestone.

Official Saturday inactives should begin coming in at approximately 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games, 2:30 p.m. ET for the late games and 7 p.m. ET for the Saturday night game.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Week 16 RB Preview: Zeke is a must start for Monday

Week 16 RB Rankings (Top-10):
1. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL - vs. DET
2. Le'Veon Bell, PIT - vs. BAL
3. LeSean McCoy, BUF - vs. MIA
4. David Johnson, ARI - @ SEA
5. DeMarco Murray, TEN - @ JAX
6. Jordan Howard, CHI - vs. WSH
7. Latavius Murray, OAK - vs. IND
8. Devonta Freeman, ATL - @ CAR
9. Todd Gurley, LA - vs. SF
10. Carlos Hyde, SF - @ LA

Elliott a must-start against Detroit on Monday: Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has been in the Top-3 of our weekly RB Rankings/Preview for a while now. This week, he's at No. 1. He has been propelling his fantasy owners to new height and he is a must-start when he faces the DetroitLions defense on Monday night.

Le'Veon Bell? Yes, please: For the same reason as Elliott, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell has gotten fantasy owners to where they re now in their league playoffs because of his fantastic play. There is no doubt that he, along with Elliott, are the finest running backs in the league, and having either one of them in your lineup can be lethal for an opponent.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Week 16 QB Preview: Rodgers, Brady face banged-up defenses

Week 16 QB Rankings (Top-10):
1. Tom Brady, NE - vs. NYJ
2. Drew Brees, NO - vs. TB
3. Andrew Luck, IND - @ OAK

4. Aaron Rodgers, GB - vs. MIN
5. Kirk Cousins, CHI - @ CHI

6. Matt Ryan, ATL - @ CAR

7. Philip Rivers, SD - @ CLE

8. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - vs. BAL
9. Derek Carr, OAK - vs. IND
10. Cam Newton, CAR - vs. ATL

Rodgers faces downgrading Vikings D: Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will face the Minnesota Vikings defense in Week 16, a defense that started the year out amazingly strong but has seemed to deteriorate as the season went on.

Brady should shine against Jets: New England Patriots QB Tom Brady will go up against a New York Jets defense that knows it it out of playoff contention after their Week 15 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots have already clinched the AFC East title once again, and they don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Week 15 Injuries: Giants lose star CB Janoris Jenkins

New York Giants CB Janoris Jenkins took a knee to the back from his own teammate after laying a hard hit on Lions TE Eric Ebron.

The team ruled him out for the remainder of the game, and FOX's Erin Andrews reported that he's getting further testing on his ribs and spine.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie took Jenkins' spot at outside CB.

Texans lose Miller: Houston Texans RB Lamar Miller limped off the field late in the fourth quarter with an apparent left ankle injury.

He looked to be in a lot of pain as trainers evaluated him on the sideline. Miller did not return to the field.

Broncos lose Wolfe: Denver Broncos DE Derek Wolfe left Sunday's game against the Patriots in the first half with a neck injury.

Trainers examined him on the sideline, and he was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Other Key Injuries: Darius Slay (CB, DET), Tyrell Williams (WR, SD), Ladarius Green (TE, PIT), Vontaze Burfict (LB, CIN)

Friday, December 16, 2016

Low-profile RBs are gaining ground on NFL's stars

By STEVEN WINE
Associated Press 

MIAMI (AP) — Hark the unheralded running backs.

Fifth-round picks, an undrafted rookie and a player who was out of the NFL for three seasons are among those bursting into the clear this year, leaving defenses and fans wondering the same thing: Where did they come from?

The surprising success by such low-profile rushers as Jay Ajayi, Jordan Howard, Robert Kelley and Tim Hightower speaks to the challenge of evaluating running backs.

"It's not like it used to be," said Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen, an NFL assistant since 1996. "When I first came in the league, you'd watch a tailback in college, and they all had a fullback in front of them, and they all got their 25 carries a game, and you compared them to each other. Now they're coming out of spread offenses, and there are a lot of good running backs out there who play for teams that don't run the ball as much. It's a lot harder comparing them now."

Some of the most frantic scrambling this season has been by teams seeking someone to carry the ball, with the high injury rate at the position creating openings for under-the-radar runners.

Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarco Murray and Le'Veon Bell are having big seasons, as expected. But other Pro Bowl backs — Todd Gurley, Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson , Chris Ivory — have struggled or been hurt this year.

Four-time Pro Bowl rusher Arian Foster retired from Miami in October, the day after Ajayi's second consecutive 200-yard game for the Dolphins. Even coach Adam Gase was surprised by the way the job was seized by Ajayi, a fifth-round pick in 2015.

"When we were going into the season, we felt like we were going to get four guys involved in what we were doing," Gase said. "So we didn't know if we'd really have enough touches to say a guy was going to have a 1,000-yard season."

Ajayi is 44 yards from the 1,000 mark, and one of 11 players on pace to reach the milestone. Six did it last year.

Cowboys rookie Elliott leads the league with 1,392 yards.

"We've all seen how the league has gone as far as trends with the running backs," Gase said. "It seems like rushing is coming back a little bit. You're seeing teams like Dallas, and obviously we're feeling pretty good about what we've got going on. There are other teams that are leaning on the running back a little more now."

As a result, players like Kelley are obscure no more. Nicknamed "Fat Rob," he has rushed for 587 yards while making six starts for the Washington Redskins, and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

In his best season at Tulane, he rushed for 420 yards — one reason he went undrafted.

"As a free agent, we didn't see a whole lot," coach Jay Gruden said. "He didn't get many carries at Tulane."

Kelley, listed at 6-foot and 220 pounds, has a rugged running style and rarely goes down on the first hit.

"I'm happy with how far I came," he said.

Ditto Howard, a rookie fifth-round pick from Indiana. He's one of the few bright spots this season for the Chicago Bears, rushing for 969 yards with a 5.0 average that ranks third in the league.

NFL teams often find their best running back in unlikely places, and tend not to devote high draft picks to the position. Elliott was the lone rusher taken in the first 44 selections of this year's draft.

In 2015 the Arizona Cardinals found a gem from Northern Iowa in the third round, and now David Johnson leads the league with 15 touchdowns and 1,830 yards from scrimmage.

"He's basically their team," Ajayi said.

In Green Bay, Eddie Lacy has been out since Week 6, which left the Packers shopping for replacements during the season. Lately they've been using James Starks, waivers acquisition Christine Michael and converted receiver Ty Montgomery, who has made three starts.

"We're a team that has gone through a lot of injuries," coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's about creating opportunities for all of these guys."

Hightower waited a long time for an opportunity after spending 2012-14 out of the NFL following a knee injury. He has become an effective backup to Mark Ingram with the New Orleans Saints, rushing for 453 yards and catching 18 passes for 178 yards.

Hightower said the nature of his position sometimes allows low-profile players to break out of a depth chart scrum.

"Running back I think is an easier position — just being honest — to come in and play right away," he said. "As long as you understand the blocking scheme and how to protect the quarterback, the schemes are similar to college and even high school. The learning curve isn't as great, so a guy can come in from off the streets, or from anywhere."

FANTASY PLAYS: Tough QB dilemmas in playoff semifinals

By SCOTT ENGEL
Associated Press / FNTSY Network

If you're still playing in Week 15 of the fantasy football season, be proud. Advancing to a prime playoff spot means you worked hard to get to this crucial point.

In many leagues, a victory this week will earn you a berth in the championship game. So stay the course that took you this far in most cases, and remember that all you can do is be informed and set the most ideal lineup possible. Once the games start, it's on your players to execute.

The best you can do is put yourself in position to win without obsessing about what you can't control — winning when it counts takes luck in addition to the efforts you've already put in.

QUARTERBACK DECISIONS

Quarterback decisions this week are not easy. Drew Brees has thrown no touchdown passes and six interceptions in his past two games. Ben Roethlisberger is on the road again, where he has eight TD passes and eight interceptions. Andrew Luck has a tough matchup at Minnesota. It's not crazy to use Joe Flacco over any of those three. Flacco has two 300-yard games and six TD passes in his past two games. He faces an Eagles defense that has yielded 31.08 fantasy points per game to QBs over the past four weeks, fourth-highest in the NFL during that span. In most cases, you do not bench your star players at this time of year. But you can make an exception here with Flacco.

Tom Brady also appears to have a very tough matchup against the Broncos, but he should not be reserved like Brees or Roethlisberger, who have some negative trends working against them. Brady came up big in what looked to be a difficult matchup against Baltimore last week, throwing for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns. He'll move the offense well enough to deliver at least respectable fantasy totals this week. This is a marquee matchup for Brady, and he will be prepared to deliver. Denver also has some key injuries at linebacker that could make the Broncos more vulnerable to passes to Patriots running backs and tight ends.

JEFFERY'S RETURN

The Bears get Alshon Jeffery back from a suspension this week, and you should re-insert him in your lineup at least as a third wide receiver or flex option. Matt Barkley has thrown frequently in two of his three starts and has not made the Bears' receivers as irrelevant as feared when he first took over as the starter. Of course, do keep an eye on the weather, as windy conditions could hurt Chicago's passing game.

SPEAKING OF WEATHER

Don't get panicky at the first sign of snow or other weather reports. If there is only light snow or the winds are not heavy, you should not make a hasty move to adjust your lineup. Snowy conditions can play to the advantage of the offense, as defenders might have trouble getting into position when reacting to a playmaker who may be running a predetermined route or forcing a defender to react to him with a juke or cut. If you see winds below 15 mph or so, don't expect too much of an adverse effect on the passing game.

GORDON OUT, FARROW IN

Melvin Gordon is out with a hip injury, and undrafted rookie Kenneth Farrow should be the lead runner for the Chargers in what could be a high-scoring affair with the Raiders. Farrow is a physical type who should get some goal-line chances, so roll him out as the second running back in your lineup or at a flex spot. Ronnie Hillman may get some reps, too, but Farrow is the guy you want to use, especially if you lost Gordon.

JULIO JONES

Julio Jones is looking very iffy again this week, but Matt Ryan and the Falcons may not even need him against the likes of the 49ers. Plan to be without Jones again, but Ryan has other fantasy-friendly weapons at his disposal. The Niners allow 26.58 FFPG to wide receivers, so lock in big-play man Taylor Gabriel, and you can even consider Justin Hardy, who scored last week, in deeper leagues. Tevin Coleman can play a significant role as both a runner and receiver, and he is a terrific option as your second running back or flex option.

TANNEHILL OUT, MOORE IN

All may not be lost for the Dolphins' offense without Ryan Tannehill. Matt Moore does not throw high-percentage passes as well as Tannehill, but he does throw downfield. Moore can make a big play, but then throw a head-scratcher of a pass. In 2011, Moore started a dozen games for Miami. In five games, he threw passes of 40-plus yards, and he threw a 30-plus yarder in eight. He had three games with three TD passes. But he was erratic and failed to throw more than one TD pass in eight starts. Moore is unreliable, but won't totally bog down the offense, and DeVante Parker should still have playmaking promise. Moore could also be a bit less shaky with Jarvis Landry as a target for him now. Don't expect the Miami offense to fall apart. Jay Ajayi should still get some chances to finish off scoring drives with TD runs.

___

This column was provided to The Associated Press by the Fantasy Sports Network, http://FNTSY.com

Monday, December 12, 2016

Week 14 Injuries: Tannehill may miss first start of career

Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill went down with a left knee injury after being hit low by Cardinals D-lineman Calais Campbell.

Tannehill walked off the field with a significant limp and went to the locker room.

The team eventually ruled him out for the remainder of the game, and coach Adam Gase said after the game that the team fears a torn ACL.

Matt Moore, the Dolphins' backup, entered Sunday having thrown just 30 passes the past five years.

Tannehill has yet to miss a start in his pro career.

Rodgers deals with pain vs. Seahawks: Green Bay Packers QB Rodgers hobbled his way through the Seahawks game and came out for good with the Packers up 28-3 with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The Packers said after the game that Rodgers hurt his right calf on the third play of the game, a 66-yard touchdown pass to WR Davante Adams.

It was the left calf that Rodgers severely injured in 2014.

The QB entered this week still bothered by a right hamstring injury that he sustained in Week 12. He has been a limited participant in practice since then.

Stafford suffers PIP joint dislocation: Detroit Lions QB Stafford hit his throwing hand on Leonard Floyd's hand while following through on a pass in the first half. Stafford did not miss any plays, but he put a glove on his throwing hand and had his middle finger wrapped after the game.

A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Stafford suffered a PIP joint dislocation and torn ligaments to his middle finger, and he will be required to play the rest of the season with a glove covering it.

Other Key Injuries: Melvin Gordon (RB, SD), Joey Bosa (DE, SD), Matt Forte (RB, NYJ), Jared Cook (TE, GB), Buster Skrine (CB, NYJ), Shane Vereen (RB, NYG)

Monday, December 5, 2016

Week 13 Injuries: Thomas, Pierre-Paul, Jones, Amendola all hurt

Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas suffered a left lower leg fracture when he collided with teammate Kam Chancellor while going up for an interception in the first half.

The All-Pro safety tried to walk off the field under his own power, but was unable to do so. Seahawks personnel carried him off the field so that he didn't have to put any weight on his leg before carting him to the locker room.

Coach Pete Carroll called Thomas' injury a six-week deal at least, but ESPN says that teammates spoke like Thomas' season was over after the game.

Pierre-Paul injured vs. Steelers: New York Giants DL Jason Pierre-Paul walked slowly off the field and to the locker room late in the second quarter with a groin injury.

The team ruled him out at the start of the second half. Pierre-Paul had seven tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble returned for a touchdown in Week 12.

Top WR Julio Jones in and out: Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones was in and out of the lineup late in the game with what coach Dan Quinn called "a lower-body injury."

Jones, who was noticeably hobbled on the sideline, said, "I'm OK. I'm good to go."

The star WR has played through many of injuries this season, including a hurt shoulder last week. He is yet to not start a game in 2016.

Brady loses another target: New England Patriots WR Danny Amendola hopped off the field after a punt return in the second half and went to the locker room with an ankle injury.

He had three catches for 30 yards when he left the game, and he did not return.

Other Key Injuries: Mohamed Sanu (WR, ATL), Jake Matthews (LT, ATL), Eric Rowe (CB, NE), EJ Gaines (CB, LA), Cecil Shorts III (WR, TB), Braxton Miller (WR, HOU)

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Week 13 D/ST Preview: Broncos face struggling Jags offense

Week 13 D/ST Rankings (Top-10):
1. Denver Broncos - @ JAX
2. New England Patriots - vs. LA
3. Seattle Seahawks - vs. CAR
4. Baltimore Ravens - vs. MIA
5. Philadelphia Eagles - @ CIN
6. Miami Dolphins - @ BAL
7. Green Bay Packers - vs. HOU
8. Arizona Cardinals - vs. WAS
9. San Diego Chargers - vs. TB
10. Minnesota Vikings - vs. DAL

Broncos defense get simple matchup against Jaguars: Not only does the Broncos defense get a good pairing against Jacksonville in Week 13, but in 14 also against Tennessee. They then face New England in Week 15 and Kansas City in Week 16. In Week 12, the Broncos forced six sacks and only gave up 273 yards in their loss to the Chiefs. They should have a good rebound against the struggling Jaguars offense.

Giants had it easy in Week 12, not in 13: The New York Giants had an easy matchup for their defense when they defeated the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, but in Week 13, they face the surging Pittsburgh Steelers offense in what should be a much harder matchup. Ben Roethlisberger is amazing at QB and with WR Antonio Brown, the two are an almost unstoppable duo.