Upon Further Review: Week 15
Who would have thought that players such as Larry Johnson, Billy Volek and Drew Bennett would be driving many teams to a Fantasy championship? In the Week 15 edition of Upon Further Review, we examine the big games from several unlikely studs.
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5 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.
Similar to that situation, WR Antwaan Randle El benefited from the
absence of WR Plaxico Burress, who was also out with a hamstring
injury. Randle El had 149 receiving yards and a touchdown in a starting
role along side Hines Ward. Despite his big day, Randle El is only
worth owning as a No. 4 or 5 Fantasy option.
Rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for a career high 316 yards
against the Giants; the first time he has surpassed the 300-yard mark in
his short career. He still isn't worth a starting role in most Fantasy
leagues, however, especially with the Ravens on deck in Week 16.
Pittsburgh Steelers at N.Y Giants
With Steelers RB Duce Staley out with a hamstring injury, Jerome Bettis again took center stage for the Pittsburgh ground attack. Bettis carried 36 times, the most work he has gotten in six years, rushing for 140 yards and a touchdown. "The Bus" has been an amazing story this season and one of the biggest Fantasy surprises as many had tossed him to the scrap heap before the year began. With Staley out, he is a solid No. 2 Fantasy back.Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
Warrick Dunn had 28 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers. He greatly benefited from the absence of T.J. Duckett, who missed the game with a knee injury. Without Duckett to spell him and steal his goal-line opportunities, Dunn was quite productive and is a great starting option in Week 16 back in his home state of Louisiana against the Saints. Nick Goings had his streak of 100-yard rushing games snapped by the Falcons. The back ended up with just 61 yards on 24 carries but did find the end zone once. With a trip to Tampa on the horizon for Week 16, it is best to move Goings back to a No. 3 RB or a flex option.
San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns
Lee Suggs returned for the Browns in Week 15 and was clearly the favored option over William Green. Despite the lack of a passing attack and the stiff Chargers run defense, Suggs still managed to gain 105 yards on just 21 carries. He is a great No. 3 option in Week 16 when Cleveland faces Miami.Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Larry Johnson made the most of his start against the Broncos. He rushed 30 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Chiefs are the first team in NFL history to have three different backs rush for over 150 yards in a game in one season (Priest Holmes, Derrick Blaylock). Johnson will no doubt get the call again in Week 16 against the Raiders and is a solid choice as a No. 2 Fantasy RB. Reuben Droughns appears to have fallen out of favor with coach Mike Shanahan. The former fullback only carried the ball four times against the Chiefs, while rookie Tatum Bell got the majority of the work. It was a great Fantasy run for Droughns while it lasted, but Bell now appears to be the main option in Denver and is certainly one to watch for 2005.Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Thousands of Fantasy owners who planned on riding Terrell Owens into their Fantasy championship will have to do without the star receiver. The good news is T.O. didn't break his ankle when tackled by the Cowboys' Roy Williams. The bad news is, in all likelihood, his regular season is over and the Eagles now will try to get him ready for the postseason. Of course, that doesn't help in the world of Fantasy Football. Freddie Mitchell will probably get the call to start along with Todd Pinkston when the Eagles visit St. Louis for Monday Night Football in Week 16.Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
The days trying to figure out what Minnesota coach Mike Tice is doing are over. Three weeks ago, Onterrio Smith was dominating the running totals for the Vikings and it looked as if Tice had settled on a feature back for his offense. However, yesterday in Detroit it was Michael Bennett (13 carries, 51 yards) getting a clear majority of the work while Smith (four carries, six yards) was left for spot duty. At this point, it is too risky to recommend either option as a Fantasy starter, especially in Week 16 when many league championships are on the line. Let's just hope this situation is cleared up when the 2005 season rolls around.St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals
Marshall Faulk was able to return from his knee injury and play in Week 15. Hopefully not many Fantasy teams relied on the aging back, however, as he just generated 22 yards on 10 carries. He should only be used as a No. 3 option for Week 16 and beyond. The QB situation for St. Louis is even worse. With Marc Bulger (shoulder) still unable to go, 39-year-old Chris Chandler was again very ineffective. Coach Mike Martz pulled Chandler after just one quarter and handed the reins over to free-agent signee Jamie Martin. Considering Martin had been with the Rams for less than a month, he actually played pretty well, but this much is clear: St. Louis needs Bulger back as soon as possible. The good news is the Rams starter promised he would be ready to face the Eagles next week.














