Upon Further Review: Dominant Davis
After injuries limited his production earlier in the season, Domanick Davis is now making up for lost time. Upon Further Review shows that Davis just might be the best Fantasy back in the NFL over the past six games.
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6 min read
Upon Further Review takes a closer look at Sunday's games to give
Fantasy owners an edge in making transactions and setting lineups for the
upcoming week.
Chicago Bears at Jacksonville Jaguars
A week after Thomas Jones and Anthony Thomas both got an equal share of carries (15) against Minnesota, it was back to all Jones against Jacksonville. He was the only running back to get a carry for the Bears in Week 14. Assuming that work load continues, Fantasy owners will find some value with the Chicago back as a No. 3 option when the Bears welcome the Texans to Soldier Field in Week 15.Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills
Just when Fantasy owners thought it might be safe to sneak Drew Bledsoe back into their lineup, he has a typical Drew day. Granted, the weather in Buffalo wasn't very conducive for the passing game, but the Bills are a team that wins with defense and a solid running effort (Willis McGahee ). Bledsoe threw for an even 100 yards with a touchdown and an interception against Cleveland. He is worth having on the end of a bench as an emergency option, but he should not be considered a regular starter.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
It has been an up and down year for Texans running back Domanick Davis. An ankle sprain in Week 3 and a bruised thigh in Week 6 really hampered Davis' production for over a month. However, he has been fully healthy since Week 9 and arguably the top Fantasy back in the NFL over that stretch. Figuring in his 128 rushing and 73 receiving yards against the Colts, Davis has now amassed 786 total yards and eight touchdowns over his past six games. He is obviously a must-start in all leagues and has joined the ranks of the No. 1 Fantasy backs.New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens
The Giants weren't loaded with Fantasy options to begin with, but ever since coach Tom Coughlin has handed the team over to Eli Manning, it has really gotten ugly for the G-Men. The "Eli effect" is really dragging down the value of both Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey, undoubtedly the top two Fantasy players on the team. Barber ended up with a rushing touchdown against the Ravens and Shockey had 83 receiving yards. However, it's important to note Barber's TD and 77 of Shockey's yards came when Coughlin had finally yanked his rookie QB for Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter. Even worse is Coughlin insisted after the game the starting job is still Eli's. With that in mind, owners would be wise to reserve all Giants for Week 15 when they face the NFL's No. 1 defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers.Oakland Raiders at Atlanta Falcons
T.J. Duckett stole all the headlines with his four rushing touchdowns, but don't forget Warrick Dunn had over 100 yards rushing against the Raiders. Dunn got 25 carries to just 12 for Duckett, so it appears he still has a solid hold on the starting running back role in Atlanta. However, it is impossible to ignore Duckett's ability to find the end zone, so these two backs are basically interchangeable from a Fantasy perspective. With Tyrone Wheatley out due to a torn hamstring, the Raiders gave the bulk of the carries to Amos Zereoue. It certainly wasn't his job alone though as J.R. Redmond, Zack Crockett and even Justin Fargas got in on the action. Zereoue should be used as a No. 3 option in larger leagues, but it is probably best to avoid the Raiders backfield if it all possible.Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings
Coach Mike Tice must be driving Fantasy owners nuts. After two consecutive weeks giving Onterrio Smith all the carries, Tice suddenly decides to work Michael Bennett back into the rotation. Granted, Smith still got 14 carries to Bennett's five, but the day could have been much bigger for Smith if he had gotten 20-plus attempts. As it was, he still racked up 56 yards on the ground with a touchdown and another 41 receiving for a pretty nice outing. He can safely be used as a No. 2 option when the Vikings travel to Detroit in Week 15.Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots
Owners counting on David Givens to produce in Week 14 were given a rude surprise when the receiver was a late scratch due to tightness in a leg muscle. David Patten got the start in his absence and had a big game with 107 yards and a touchdown. Givens should be monitored this week before he is activated for Week 15 against the Dolphins on Monday night.Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos
Talk about a wacky series of events. After he fumbled twice in the first quarter, Reuben Droughns was benched for rookie Tatum Bell. For the most part, Bell looked very impressive, gaining 123 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns. Then, in the third quarter, Bell suffered a third-degree shoulder separation that will likely end his season. Droughns finished up the day for Denver and, assuming he can hang on to the ball, is a great starter in Week 15 at Kansas City. Sammy Morris returned to action in Week 14 after rib injuries had kept him out the previous two games. With Morris in the mix, the Miami backfield was back to basically a platoon situation with Travis Minor getting 10 carries and Morris getting nine. With both backs healthy, this arrangement will continue the rest of the season and neither runner should be given consideration as a starter.New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers
Coach Bill Cowher promised to work Jerome Bettis into the offense more and he kept to his word. The Bus got 10 carries and made the most of them, gaining 57 yards and a touchdown. Duce Staley (16 carries, 51 yards) is still the starter for the Steelers, but his value has slipped to a Fantasy No. 3 with the continued presence of Bettis.
