Pinch these guys for a quick fix with weeks left
Law school finals are no joke. An attorney once told me to go watch The Paper Chase before I started my first semester. In case you haven’t seen it, it’s about first-year law students at Harvard and depicts how brutal things can be. Classmates deceiving each other, students dropping out, a student dating the toughest professor’s daughter and a hellish week or two of finals.
All of this to say, that finals week and law school on the whole has given me a better appreciation for football as a stress reliever. Maybe it’s just because the Panthers are on such a roll, but being able to identify with the successes of a larger group adds a bright spot to otherwise dark times.
Although I didn’t watch any of the games on Sunday, I would occasionally check my scores (as motivation, I had to finish a chapter before I could check for an update), and that would (usually bring a smile to my face. After one week of playoff action, I’m ahead by 20 points or more in each league and have already won a game in my 16-team league that uses a single week system. Except for my little brother. He’s currently stomping me by 25.
But as they say, it ain’t over ’till the fat lady sings. So whether you’re facing a tough fantasy matchup, that final Torts exam tomorrow, or facing unwanted relatives over the holidays, my advice is the same: Finish strong and Keep Pounding.
It’s the end of the season, so the below players are to be considered more quick fixes or acts of desperation if you find yourself in trouble. Don’t get cute. Dance with the ones that brought you. Remember that the Jets and Cowboys play Saturday night, so remember to set your lineups accordingly.
AJ McCarron (QB, CIN): There are certainly better options at QB if you need help, guys like Ryan Fitzpatrick or Marcus Mariota might be available. But I like AJ McCarron as much as you can like a backup QB. He gets to step into a loaded offense and gets to get is feet wet against the porous 49ers. The Bengals will likely pound it on the ground this week – a strategy that will limit McCarron’s red-zone throwing but set him up for some nice play-action throws. Deploying him in the playoffs is not for the faint of heart, but I have a strong feeling McCarron is going to end the dubious streak of Alabama QBs failing to reach NFL success.
Branden Bolden/James White/Steven Jackson (RB, NE): LeGarrette Blount is done for the year. The Pats have now lost their top two RBs, but have a stable of backups. Both White and Bolden’s stock gets a bump, and the word on the street is that the Pats are bringing Steven Jackson out of retirement. I think White has the most upside, but it’s the Patriots backfield so you can never really know for sure.
Ameer Abdullah (RB, DET): He’s had an up and down year and failed to live up to his immense preseason hype. But that could finally happen Monday night. The Lions travel to the Big Easy for what will likely be a shootout. I like Abdullah’s chances to crack 100 yards or get 50ish and a score. Furthermore, now that the Lions are eliminated from playoff contention, they’ll likely take the time to evaluate what Abdullah can do as they decide whether or not to keep guys like Theo Riddick and Joique Bell.
Denard Robinson (RB, JAX): TJ Yeldon got banged up Sunday in the Jaguars’ throttling of the Colts. No real word yet as to how bad the damage was, but Robinson will get more touches at the very least as a result. I have to say though, I felt like such a proud parent watching the Jacksonville D/ST score two TDs after recommending them as a good pick last week. That has to go down as one of my best picks ever.
Bryce Brown (RB, SEA): With Thomas Rawls on IR and Marshawn Lynch not healthy yet, I wouldn’t bother touching Brown with the way Russell Wilson has been slinging it recently, but the matchup against the Browns is just too good to pass up.
Ted Ginn Jr. (WR, CAR): He’ll get you 2 points or 27. If your league’s playoff games are two weeks and you’re down, Ginn is a typical Hail Mary play that might win you the day.
Doug Baldwin (WR, SEA): The dude has been on fire. He’s the main beneficiary of Wilson’s newfound realization that Seattle can actually throw the ball. What comes up must come down of course, but losing Rawls means that the Seahawks will probably lean even more so on the pass. Plus there’s that whole Cleveland Browns thing. I hear they’re pretty bad.
Richard Rodgers (TE, GB): The Raiders have been thoroughly abused by opposing TEs this season, it’s been the Achilles’ heel in an otherwise stout defense. Next up, the Raiders host the surging Packers who feature two players who are fantasy studs for this week.
This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 7:49 PM with the headline "Pinch these guys for a quick fix with weeks left."