Pftt 2016 10 20 2

Seahawks join Vikings, Patriots at the top of PFW power rankings SINCE 1967

THURSDAY | OCTOBER 20, 2016

Going Home QBs SAM BRADFORD AND BROCK OSWEILER RETURN TO DENVER, PHILADELPHIA TO FACE THEIR OLD TEAMS

PLUS WAY WE HEAR IT GAME PREDICTIONS FANTASY FOOTBALL

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

1 MINNESOTA VIKINGS 2 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 3 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 4 DALLAS COWBOYS 5 ATLANTA FALCONS 6 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 7 PITTSBURGH STEELERS 8 DENVER BRONCOS 9 GREEN BAY PACKERS 10 ARIZONA CARDINALS 11 HOUSTON TEXANS 12 OAKLAND RAIDERS 13 BUFFALO BILLS 14 WASHINGTON 15 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 16 CINCINNATI BENGALS 17 NEW YORK GIANTS 18 DETROIT LIONS 19 BALTIMORE RAVENS 20 LOS ANGELES RAMS 21 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 22 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 23 CAROLINA PANTHERS 24 TENNESSEE TITANS 25 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 26 NEW YORK JETS 27 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 28 MIAMI DOLPHINS 29 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 30 CHICAGO BEARS 31 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 32 CLEVELAND BROWNS

May not be pushed again until Cardinals in Week 11 AFC’s best getting better each week

Got a little help in crucial win over Falcons Still don’t see ‘D’ but can’t doubt them anymore If stripes call the P.I. on Richard Sherman . . .

Need now to do it week-in, week-out How long will Big Ben be down?

Yes, you actually do need a quarterback in NFL Where oh where can their Rodgers be . . . ?

Just what they needed Monday over Jets

Osweiler rallies late – can he build on it?

Not ready for the big boys yet

4 in a row is 4 in a row, but are they for real?

Also winners of 4 in a row; may be for real?

There’s tape on Wentz now, how will he answer?

Who else has beat Pitt, Den, Dal, NE?

Power Rankings Welcome to our ProFootballWeekly.com NFL Week 7 Power Rankings

Please keep in mind as you read them they have nothing to do with who we think will be in the playoffs and Super Bowl, nor do they necessarily indicate who we think the best teams in the league are. These rankings are based on each team’s performance in the first six weeks of the season, players lost to injury and players expected to return soon.

AP PHOTO

If they have to count on OBJ, may be in trouble Give Caldwell credit for two-week bounce-back Forget injuries, where’s the talent on offense?

Have to ask: How bad must Jared Goff be?

No idea who this team is?

No idea how defense can be so bad?

No idea . . . at this point at all

Try-hard guys just need more talent

Huge win, 10 days rest, now we see what’s next More wrong here than just brutal schedule No business beating Bears, offense still a mess Steelers win pretty random, need another look What did they expect from this defense?

Injuries sure, but are the coaches hurting, too?

Earl Thomas had a key interception in the Seahawks’ 26-24 win over the Falcons on Sunday. Seattle moves up to No. 3 in this week’s rankings.

OK, Kaepernick’s not the answer

Can someone give these guys a hug?

O

ne of NFL fans’ favorite pastimes is discussing coaches on the bubble and wondering just when the axe might be falling and change taking place for teams whose seasons for all practical purposes have ended too early.

The roar came early in this NFL season from fans unhappy with Rex Ryan in Buffalo, Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis, Gus Bradley in Jacksonville, Mike McCoy in San Diego, Jim Caldwell in Detroit and Jeff Fisher in Los Angeles.

The talk has all but disappeared over Ryan, whose Bills have rattled off a four-game win streak; Fisher off a 3-1 start with the Rams; and despite how dramatically the Bengals have under-achieved, nobody really expected owner Mike Brown to move on Lewis.

Perhaps it’s just a coincidence but Pagano, Bradley, McCoy and Caldwell have all won a game or even two in the past couple weeks, so the predictors of doom have gone silent for the most part for now.

With that being the case, it’s occurred to me that for all the time we spend

talking about who will the Eagles job just days be next to get fired later. among NFL coaches, But Doug Pederson we rarely focus on who got that job and Coughthe coaches out there lin seemed to go silent, most likely to replace until recently. them are.

It seems that CoughWhat got me thinklin’s “people” are now reaching out all over ing about this were the league letting peothe multiple reports I’m hearing about one ple know that the coach well-known coaching is not the retiring kind prospect who is apparand that he hopes they’ll make him their ently working the back first call should a job channels like mad to HUB ARKUSH open up. make sure he’s a canharkush@ProFootballWeekly.com How his message is didate when jobs start @Hub_Arkush being received I can’t to come open. say, but Coughlin is Just days after the end of the 2015 season, New York Giants definitely looking for work and we will head coach Tom Coughlin announced he be hearing his name come the 2016 seawas resigning after 12 seasons in charge. son’s “Black Monday” and beyond.

It was pretty obvious to all of us that One of the flavors of the month come Coughlin didn’t really want to go and January 2017 will definitely be Minwas most likely told by Giants owner- nesota Vikings defensive coordinator ship his choice was to resign or be fired, George Edwards. He has been overseeand he chose the less scarring option. ing the Vikings’ defense since 2014 and That was confirmed when Coughlin has 26 years of coaching experience at acknowledged being a candidate for the major college and NFL level, includ-

Pro Football Weekly is produced by Shaw Media, the Daily Herald Media Group and the Chicago Sun-Times in partnership with other Illinois daily newspapers.

ing stints coordinating the Washington and Buffalo defenses as well.

Mike Zimmer still makes a lot of his own defensive calls, and Edwards was arrested for a DWI in May, but he’s done a great job with the Vikings.

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has turned down several interview opportunities in recent years, but we are hearing now that much like his mentor, Bill Belichick, he believes he’s now ready for his second crack at a top job and every team with an opening will probably be anxious to interview him.

This should also be the year that his teammate, Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, finally gets his due and becomes a popular candidate as well.

Another long-time assistant whose time is probably coming is Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who currently has the Falcons offense flying high.

Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Shula and Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator Frank Reich are two more top assistants who should get multiple interviews as well.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

Tom Coughlin atop the list of head-coaching candidates for 2017

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

It’s

in the NFL

J

By ARTHUR

ARKUSH

aarkush@profootballweekly.com

ack Del Rio, Steve Spagnuolo, Josh Sitton, Mario Williams, to name a few, all reunite with the teams that spurned them in the past.

Yet they’ll again be pushed aside in this column, as two cities – Philadelphia and Denver – are 1A and 1B in the NFL epicenter of revenge.

Let’s start with the Bradford Bowl. The undefeated Vikings, led by Sam Bradford, visit the Eagles, who’ve lost two straight after soaring to a 3-0 start. But Philadelphia is smitten after netting a 2017 first-rounder and 2018 fourth-rounder, plus the ability to play No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz from jump street without having two

us r io o ! ic s f l e ck h � D a t Sn al He

sulking veterans and bulking contracts on the bench, for shipping Bradford to Minnesota.

Bradford and Wentz have both shattered early expectations, making it quite likely – barring injury, an absolutely necessary rub to mention for any NFL player but particularly these two – they’ll be quarterbacking their clubs well beyond 2016.

So who won the deal? Not only do we not know now, we won’t know late Sunday afternoon when this one concludes. It looks like a grand slam for both Howie Roseman and Rick Spielman, a rare instance of a blockbuster trade benefiting both parties, as Bradford and Wentz are MVP and Rookie of the Year candidates, respectively.

But it’s Bradford who’ll have extra incentive to stick it to the team he thinks somehow treated him unfairly. That he’s largely changed the nar-

rative in seven short weeks from spoiled former first-rounder who’s unwilling to compete for his job to former first-rounder gelling sensationally with his new club is a testament to his play and Minnesota’s planning and perseverance.

Brock Osweiler, according to myriad reports, would still be in Denver right now if he “settled” for $30 million guaranteed, rather than head to Texas, where everything is bigger including contracts for unproven quarterbacks.

After his best 15 minutes of football as a Texan Sunday night, when he led Houston to a fantastic fourth quarter comeback and overtime triumph past the fantastically futile Colts, Osweiler is leading a 4-2 first place club despite tossing as many interceptions as touchdowns (8). His replacement, Trevor Siemian, leads a 4-2 first place club with seven touchdowns to three

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Thursday, NBC

Two struggling offenses, but only one is puzzling. Rodgers had one of worst games ever in Bears’ Thursday night upset at Lambeau last year.

GIANTS AT RAMS

(IN LONDON) Sunday, NFL NETWORK

Odell Beckham Jr. finally making noise again for play, not petulance. Rams back at .500, right in Jeff Fisher’s wheelhouse.

BROWNS AT BENGALS Sunday, CBS

Credit where credit is due: Cody Kessler has impressed for winless Browns. Vontaze Burfict is out of control, Bengals close to out of playoffs.

WASHINGTON AT LIONS Sunday, FOX

Washington has won four straight but has a point differential of zero; even with Stafford hot again, can’t take Lions seriously after what they let Keenum do.

RAIDERS AT JAGUARS Sunday, CBS

Oakland on the road again, still not playing ‘D.’ Jaguars don’t care about style points; they’ve won two in a row.

SAINTS AT CHIEFS Sunday, FOX

Sam Bradford returns to Philadelphia for the first timke since being traded by the Eagles

interceptions – though, unlike Osweiler, Siemian is coming off a poor performance and has already missed six-plus quarters due to injury.

Was John Elway right to take a hard-line stance with Osweiler? We’ve said all along Houston badly overpaid, but as admirably as Siemian has performed and as much promise as first-rounder Paxton Lynch possesses, neither club can say definitively it has the most important position in pro sports solved.

A sure solution for Houston won’t be evident regardless of whether Osweiler’s late flourish serves as a catalyst for an upset in Denver, where it’ll require handling several steps up in defensive class from the Colts. In the meantime, Siemian is closer to ceding his spot to Lynch than cementing it with a win against the quarterback he might’ve shared Peyton Manning jokes with last season.

For now, let’s just enjoy these games for what they are: chances for Houston, Philadelphia and perhaps even Denver to prove they’re contenders, and an opportunity for Minnesota to strengthen its increasingly super résumé.

Oh yeah, for Bradford, Osweiler and much of the Broncos coaching staff, whose last NFL stop was in Houston, it’s a chance to stick it to the man.

It’ll be fun to watch Del Rio and Spagnuolo attempt to show their old fans what they can (or can’t) do with second (or third) chances and better resources. Moreover, the Raiders and Giants visiting the Rams and Jaguars, respectively, get additional boosts in our watchable index rankings because, well, Tom Brady battling Landry Jones isn’t exactly what the schedule-makers had in mind in the spring. Odell Beckham Jr., after his awakening saved the slumbering Giants, reuniting with a chippy Gregg Williams defense that got under OBJ’s skin, but not on top

AP PHOTO

More often than not, New Orleans in good shape if Brees has it last; Spencer Ware and Dee Ford are unlikely Chiefs stars.

BILLS AT DOLPHINS Sunday, FOX

Can Rex’s troops, winners of four straight, avoid looking ahead to Pats next week? The cure for Ryan Tannehill is more Ajayi.

RAVENS AT JETS Sunday, CBS

Reeling Ravens need to stop skid before the bye; Jets’ death march continues, on short rest, vs. another desperate club.

VIKINGS AT EAGLES Sunday, FOX

Sam Bradford and Carson Wentz face off for the first time on opposite sidelines.

COLTS AT TITANS Sunday, CBS

Colts’ Sunday night collapse in Houston as bad as it gets?

Mike Mularkey’s Titans are a game out of first place.

CHARGERS AT FALCONS Sunday, FOX

Brock Osweiler left the Broncos to sign with the Texans in the offseason.

AP PHOTO

of him in coverage, before it was commonplace will be intriguing. Amari Cooper versus Jalen Ramsey, and perhaps the two biggest “offseason winners” converging in-season should also be fascinating, even if we’re still not sure what to make of either team.

Speed rush: Washington and Detroit are surging, but do you trust either to be viable playoff contenders in December? … We’ll believe Bruce Arians has the Cardinals back on track if they cut out the mistakes and Carson Palmer looks capable at home in prime time against Seattle. … Buffalo doesn’t miss Mario Williams, but we don’t blame Dolphins fans if they do, given his lackluster effort. … Green Bay doesn’t miss Josh Sitton, but the Bears will, as his ankle injury comes just as the offensive line was building its identity.

Can rookies Bosa and Henry continue to energize Bolts? Atlanta appeared for real in Seattle defeat, but must avoid letdown.

BUCCANEERS AT 49ERS Sunday, FOX

Tampa needed the bye to figure out what it does well; Colin Kaepernick earned another start after being thrown into fire in Buffalo.

PATRIOTS AT STEELERS Sunday, CBS

The NFL deserves Tom Brady vs. Landry Jones; Steelers hope Big Ben back ticking after Week 8 bye.

SEAHAWKS AT CARDINALS Sunday, NBC

Seattle emerges from bye to remind everyone they’re still a force in NFC; Cardinals get another primetime stage to show early-season missteps just that.

TEXANS AT BRONCOS Monday, ESPN

Did Brock Osweiler start to figure it out in fourth quarter/OT last week? Gary Kubiak’s back, but are the champion Broncos?

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

BEARS AT PACKERS

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

THIS WEEK’S GAMES CHI @ GB NYG @ LA NO @ KC IND @ TEN MIN @ PHI CLE @ CIN WAS @ DET OAK @ JAX BUF @ MIA BAL @ NYJ TB @ SF SD @ ATL NE @ PIT SEA @ AZ HOU @ DEN

Green Bay 30, Chicago 13 | Bears just don’t have the horses right now

Green Bay 24, Chicago 17 | Great rivalry, uneven matchup

N.Y. Giants 16, Los Angeles 13 | Can’t trust Rams to score points

N.Y. Giants 17, Los Angeles 3 | Rams offense won’t score like last week

Kansas City 34, New Orleans 24 | Saints ‘D’ like Emperor’s new clothes

Kansas City 24, New Orleans 22 | Chiefs’ defense wins the day

Tennessee 23, Indianapolis 20 | Not sure how Colts ‘D’ can stop anyone

Tennessee 25, Indianapolis 22 | Titans find a way, Colts find way to lose

Minnesota 20 Philadelphia 13 | Vikings just keep grinding along

Minnesota 19, Philadelphia 10 | Wentz isn’t ready for this yet

Cincinnati 27, Cleveland 9 | Tough spot for Browns to be in this week

Cincinnati 35, Cleveland 7 | Bengals let it all out here

Detroit 24, Washington 23 | Not sure how but Lions coming on a bit

Washington 29, Detroit 27 | Cousins in a shootout

Oakland 31 Jacksonville 27 | Raiders much further along than Jags

Oakland 35, Jacksonville 25 | Raiders keep winning ugly

Buffalo 17 Miami 16 | Dolphins find a way to lose this one

Miami 12, Buffalo 9 | Five in a row too much for Rex’s guys?

N.Y. Jets 19, Baltimore 16 | Finally a team Jets can play with

N.Y. Jets 17, Baltimore 15 | Two struggling clubs, homefield advantage

San Francisco 26, Tampa Bay 24 | Bucs 0-3 and ugly going West this year

Tampa Bay 10, San Francisco 9 | Yes, the 49ers are this bad

Atlanta 31, San Diego 27 | Falcons stumble after big games, but don’t fall

Atlanta 38, San Diego 35 | Falcons don’t lose track meets

New England 30, Pittsburgh 20 | Pats vulnerable but not without Big Ben

New England 31, Pittsburgh 10 | Real shame, would have been fun with Ben

Arizona 24, Seattle 16 | Cards coming on but question or two on ‘Hawks

Seattle 25, Arizona 22 | Seahawks still best of the West

Denver 13, Houston 6 | Broncos ‘D’ says not in our house, Brock

Denver 31, Houston 10 | You should have stayed in Texas, son

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

RAIDERS GOING NOWHERE FAST

Will owners block Raiders move to Vegas?

T

o hear Mark Davis tell it, Las Vegas residents should already be planning their h o u s ew a r m i n g party for the Oakland, soon-to-be Las Vegas, Raiders.

The Way We Hear It, not so fast my friends.

When Nevada’s Republican governor Brian Sandoval signed a bill last Monday approving a $750 million tax plan to build a new multi-use stadium in Las Vegas for the Raiders to play in, Davis responded as if the fix was in, groundbreaking is imminent and the Raiders are on the move.

We assume the Raiders’ fledgling owner knows better than that.

Davis’ first order of business to eventually move his team anywhere was to go to Houston this past Tuesday and Wednesday and give his fellow owners an update on the stadium situations in Oakland and Las

Vegas. An update, that’s it.

He is not in a position to request permission to move until he formally files a request, which will presumably happen in January.

Davis will then need the approval of at least 23 of his fellow owners to make the move – we assume he will vote yes to gain the 24 votes necessary – and it is assumed that vote wouldn’t even be held until the winter meetings in March.

In the meantime, we hear that Davis finding 23 votes to approve a move to Vegas is nowhere near a sure thing, and that is not even the only bridge he has left to cross.

On Nov. 8, the citizens of San Diego will cast ballots on Proposition C, which would generate the tax dollars necessary to build a new stadium for the Chargers.

If the referendum were defeated, the Chargers would then almost certainly be forced to move to Los Angeles to share the future Kroenke palace with the Rams.

If the Chargers get their new home in San Diego though, the Raiders have already been approved for a move to Los Angeles, one that would be much less expensive for them and potentially more lucrative.

According to multiple sources, Davis has given up interest in L.A. and is much more focused on getting to Vegas, but few can figure out why.

The Raiders currently play in the country’s sixth biggest market combining Oakland and San Francisco in the Bay Area.

Los Angeles is the nation’s second-biggest market while Vegas is 40th, ranking ahead of only Jacksonville (47), New Orleans (50), Buffalo (53) and Green Bay (68) among NFL cities.

Why would a savvy businessman want to pass on the second- and sixth-biggest markets for the 40th? Is Davis a savvy businessman? We’re hearing these are questions that will play a huge part in the Raiders owner’s ability to get the 23 votes he needs.

Here are a few more of the hurdles we’re hearing Davis still needs to clear.

Davis already has committed $500 million to the cost of the new Las Vegas stadium, with $200 million of that to come in the form of a loan from the NFL. The other $300 million is on him.

Then there are the relocation fees.

Kroenke paid the league approximately $515 million just for the right to move from St. Louis to Los Angeles.

While Las Vegas isn’t nearly as desirable a destination, we’re hardpressed to see his fellow owners giving Davis a discount.

That’s a little over $800 million Davis has to come up with, and league rules prohibit him from borrowing against his ownership stake in the team. Our sources tell us Davis doesn’t have that kind of wealth.

Next up, a number of his fellow owners are sensitive to the imaging problems the league is already facing for allowing the Rams to leave St. Louis in spite of the city’s best effort

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Mark Davis does not necessarily have the votes from the other NFL owners to move the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas. dium project and retain substantial operating control.

A key figure to watch here is Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, not because he was reported to be the power broker who manipulated the Rams’ move to L.A., but because Jones maintained a very close relationship with the elder Davis over the last decade

AP PHOTO

of his life and has always coveted the success and respect Al Davis earned as a “football guy” rather than a businessman.

No owner has a better feel than Jones as to who the younger Davis really is, and it is an unknown as to whether Jones will support him as an ode to his late father or resist him due

to concerns about his abilities.

Finally, there is the 10-ton gorilla in the room. The NFL has invested tens of millions of dollars, decades of lobbying and political maneuvering and called in practically every political favor it has to battle the evils of gambling and more specifically legalized sports betting.

To now reward the only state in the country where sports betting – the biggest chunk of which is betting on NFL games – with its own NFL team would be a stunning departure from the NFL’s core principles.

It would also make it seemingly impossible for the NFL to continue to battle the expansion of legalized sports betting across the country and, the Way We Hear It, that is not a battle a number of the current owners are prepared to abandon.

There are some owners – quite possibly including Jones – who are prepared to move on from their crusades against gambling, but there is also still a significant group of hardliners who have no intentions of abandoning that cause.

It only takes nine owners to thwart a move of the Raiders, or for that matter any NFL team, and it is not only possible but likely that at least at the moment, there are more than that ready to say no to Vegas.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

to keep its team, and that becomes even more problematic if the Chargers head north for L.A. Some owners would much rather see Davis focus on finding a way to build a new home in Oakland rather than deserting a third fan base in 12 months.

We also have a number of sources telling us that a lot more than a few NFL owners simply have their doubts as to how good a businessman Davis is and how far they should trust him.

Unlike the Maras, Rooneys, Spanos’ and other offspring of the owners of heritage franchises, Davis grew up away from the family business rather than learning it, and as near as anyone can tell, not really doing much of anything else either.

It wasn’t until his mid-40s that Davis began to learn the business and work closely with his late father, Hall of Fame owner, general manager and coach Al Davis. Some sources close to the situation report he was often tolerated as much as mentored.

We’re hearing some owners are concerned that Davis is in over his head with Vegas and Nevada politicians, and billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who will contribute approximately $650 million to the sta-

9

ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY |

Roethlisberger injury has many fantasy repercussions

By J.C.

TALON

A

Fantasy writer | ProFootballWeekly.com

fter rushing for 0, 14, 28, 33, and 42 yards in the first five games of 2016, respectively, Jay Ajayi busted out against the Steelers with 204 yards and two scores on 25 carries. Yeah, we all saw that coming. Ajayi is owned in 56 percent of CBS leagues and 43 percent of ESPN leagues. Those numbers will jump dramatically this week. Whether he can become an elite fantasy back is anybody’s guess, but after his Week 6 performance, you can bet he’ll get another opportunity.

The other big fantasy news from last weekend was the injury to Ben Roethlisberger. The loss of Big Ben obviously impacts his owners, but it also will have repercussions for owners of Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh is hoping to have their QB back after next week’s bye, but he’ll be out this week against New England.

Backup Landry Jones is one of the worst No. 2 signal-callers in the league. He started two games last year, but played meaningful time in only one of those games. In Week 7 at Kansas City, he was 16-of29 for 209 with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Pittsburgh lost 23-13. On the other hand, Bell had 121 yards rushing and Brown had 124 yards receiving in the game. Although expectations are diminished, both players remain must-starts.

On to Week 7 …

MATCHUPS TO EXPLOIT Cincinnati Bengals

OPPONENT: VS CLEVELAND BROWNS, SUNDAY, NOON Anything can happen in the NFL, but there is little doubt that the Browns have the least talented roster in the league. Cleveland’s 29th-ranked defense is yielding 403 yards and 29.3 points per game. Their equal-opportunity incompetence has them ranked 26th against both the run and the pass. The over/under in this game is hovering around 46 with Cincy favored by 9.5. That would suggest the Bengals should score about 27 points. A.J. Green is a good bet for a big day and Andy Dalton is an option for owners of Roethlisberger or Cam Newton. The big question mark is the running game. In the past two games, Giovani Bernard has 34 touches and 190 yards while Jeremy Hill has only 18 touches for 53 yards. Those two games were against New England and Dallas – teams far more talented than Cleveland. Hill has also been fighting through some injuries. The uncertainty downgrades both players. Brandon LaFell has three touchdowns in the past two weeks, though he was held to two catches for 13 yards in Foxborough.

MUST START: Green SOLID PLAY: Dalton, Mike Nugent, Bengals D/ST WORTH A LOOK: Bernard, Hill, C.J. Uzomah LAST RESORT: LaFell

Kansas City Chiefs

OPPONENT: VS NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, SUNDAY, NOON If the Chiefs are going to win this game – and they are favored – they will most likely have to score more points than usual. Kansas City’s defense (14th) is OK, but not good enough to shut down Drew Brees & Co. Luckily for K.C., the Saints counter their second-ranked offense (in yards and points) with the league’s second-worst defense. Last week in Oakland, the Chiefs continued to feature Spencer Ware in the

running game. Jamaal Charles had nine carries for 33 yards, but Ware had 24 carries and piled up 131 yards and a TD. Both backs had two receptions. Look for Charles’ workload to increase a bit – especially as a receiver – but Ware is the better fantasy play at present.

MUST START: Ware, Travis Kelce SOLID PLAY: Charles, Jeremy Maclin, Cairo Santos WORTH A LOOK: Alex Smith LAST RESORT: Charcandrick West STAY AWAY: Chiefs D/ST

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OPPONENT: AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, SUNDAY, 3:05 The 49ers are giving up nearly 31 points per game – only the Saints have given up more. Roberto Aguayo seems to have worked out his early season issues and is a reasonable option at PK this week. Doug Martin (hamstring) could return, but it is far from a lock.

If Martin misses another week, Jacquizz Rodgers is a decent streaming option. He had 30 carries for 101 yards in Week 5 against the Panthers. He also caught five passes for 28 yards. It is also noteworthy that Rodgers averages 4.0 yards on his 43 carries this season compared to 3.4 yards on 25 carries for Martin.

MUST START: Mike Evans SOLID PLAY: Cameron Brate, Aguayo WORTH A LOOK: Martin*, Rodgers (if no Martin), Bucs D/ST LAST RESORT: Adam Humphries, Vincent Jackson

New England Patriots

OPPONENT: AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS, SUNDAY, 3:25 News flash … Start your Patriots! Apologies for the obviousness of this call, but Tom Brady & Co. are an especially good play this week against the Steelers and their 29th-ranked passing defense. There is a chance that, sans Roethlisberger, this game gets ugly.

In that scenario, the emphasis could switch from Brady and the passing attack to LeGarrette Blount and a ground-and-pound show.

MUST START: Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Stephen Gostkowski SOLID PLAY: Blount, Julian Edelman, Martellus Bennett WORTH A LOOK: James White LAST RESORT: Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola

ALSO CONSIDER

Jacksonville Jaguars OPPONENT: VS LOS ANGELES RAIDERS, SUNDAY, NOON The Raiders are last in the NFL in yards allowed, giving up 25 yards more per game than the 31stranked Saints. The Jags’ 29th-ranked offense is struggling, but they have an opportunity to post decent numbers in this game.

Atlanta Falcons

OPPONENT: VS SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, SUNDAY, 3:05 This contest features the highest over/under of the week (51). San Diego has been extremely competitive in every game and is coming off a 21-13 upset over Denver. Expect a lot of points and yards from both teams.

MATCHUPS TO AVOID Chicago Bears

OPPONENT: AT GREEN BAY PACKERS, THURSDAY, 7:25 We don’t offer betting advice, but the over/under (46.5) in this game seems a bit aggressive. If it gets

there, at least 30 of those points will probably have to come from Green Bay. Brian Hoyer, as scouts like to say, is just good enough to get you beat. He dinks and dunks when defenses have to cover the entire field, but once the Bears get in the red zone and coverage tightens, Hoyer has no answers. The journeyman has thrown for over 300 yards in all four of his starts, but the Bears have scored 17 points in three of those games and 23 in the other while losing three of the four. The Packers have problems of their own, but should have little problem putting away an undermanned Bears squad.

MUST START: None SOLID PLAY: Alshon Jeffery WORTH A LOOK: Jordan Howard, Cameron Meredith, Zach Miller LAST RESORT: Brian Hoyer, Ka’Deem Carey, Eddie Royal, Bears D/ST STAY AWAY: Connor Barth

Philadelphia Eagles

OPPONENT: VS MINNESOTA VIKINGS, SUNDAY, NOON The over/under in this game (40) is the lowest of the week. Minnesota’s defense is second in yards allowed and first in points – yielding just 12.8 points per game. The Eagles have lost two straight and Carson Wentz has regressed during those games. Last week in Washington, he was 11-for-22 for 179 yards and no TDs. MUST START: None SOLID PLAY: Eagles D/ST WORTH A LOOK: Ryan Mathews, Jordan Matthews, Zach Ertz LAST RESORT: Darren Sproles, Caleb Sturgis STAY AWAY: Wentz, Nelson Agholor

Houston Texans

OPPONENT: AT DENVER BRONCOS, MONDAY, 7:30 This looks like another low-scoring game. Brock Osweiler was able to rally his team last week against Indy. He won’t find the Broncos’ fourth-ranked defense nearly as accommodating. Houston’s best shot is on the ground: Denver is only 22nd against the run and is giving up 4.0 yards per carry.

MUST START: None SOLID PLAY: Lamar Miller WORTH A LOOK: DeAndre Hopkins, Texans D/ST LAST RESORT: Will Fuller*, C.J. Fiedorowicz STAY AWAY: Nick Novak

ALSO BEWARE Los Angeles Rams

OPPONENT: VS N.Y. GIANTS (LONDON), SUNDAY, 8:30 A.M. In case you needed a reason not to plug Rams into your fantasy lineup, the 10-plus hour flight from L.A. to London is a disadvantage. Todd Gurley is the only start here.

Seattle Seahawks

OPPONENT: AT ARIZONA CARDINALS, SUNDAY, 7:30 Considering the Cards have the fifth-ranked defense and Seattle is No. 1, this is not a great fantasy matchup for either team. Last season’s results were a mixed bag: Arizona won a 39-32 shootout in Seattle in November, but the Seahawks returned the favor in January with a 36-6 drubbing. The over/under in this game is hovering between 43 and 44.

* — Check injury status

By JOHN

I

SAHLY

jsahly@shawmedia.com

t’s fun to put Drew Brees – when he’s at home – on your Daily Fantasy Sports roster.

It’s fun to click his name, then sit back, and watch him throw for 300 yards and at least two touchdowns in the Superdome, and know that position on your roster is secure.

As a football fan, it’s just fun to watch Drew Brees.

Put him on your DFS roster, and it makes it even more fun.

At the same time, if you don’t roster him, it can be heartburn-inducing to watch his stats roll up like they did on Sunday: 465 yards, 4 touchdowns, good for 36.6 points on DraftKings. In their big Millionaire Maker tournament this past weekend, he was on six of the top 10 lineups.

“Big deal, Sahly,” I hear you saying. “Rostering Drew Brees is fun. Drew Brees is good. Big newsbreaker, there. Where’s the but? There’s always a but in this column setup.”

OK, you got me. But....

You don’t have to roster him. You can. And like I said, you’re safe. Brees at home is always, always, always in play in cash games.

But. (There it is again). He’s expensive. He was the second-most expensive quarterback this past week, and you can find savings without giving

Drew Brees

AP PHOTO

up much in the way of points or safety and find yourself in position to roster better skill position players. We want efficient quarterbacks, not necessarily high-volume QBs. And this doesn’t just apply to Brees. Guys like

Cam Newton and Tom Brady are usually at the top of the salary chart, and you don’t have to roster them, either.

I’d rather take the salary savings and find solid quarterbacks in good matchups. One example from last week: Matthew Stafford at home against a Rams team missing its best cornerback. Stafford has a higher fantasy output at home, and has been a top-10 fantasy QB since Jim Bob Cooter took over the Lions’ offense. Stafford, for a savings of $1,700 this past week, got you 28.2 points, which was four times his salary, which is more than enough to find big success in DFS. Oh, and he was on the winning Millionaire Maker lineup this week at just 4.7 percent ownership.

Brees was on 10.5 percent of rosters. Paying down at quarterback is a way to differentiate yourself in tournaments.

Think of your season-long league. You either reached up to get Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton or Drew Brees in the first four rounds, or you waited until the ninth or 10th to take a guy like Matt Ryan. The difference between Ryan and those topflight QBs isn’t all that much, but waiting to take Ryan allowed you to get a better skill-position player like a Lamar Miller or a T.Y. Hilton.

The same applies in DFS. What do you want to pay for? A high-priced QB is a luxury, not a necessity.

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

DFS: Stop paying up for quarterbacks

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016 Davis Webb

AP PHOTO

AP PHOTO

Royce Freeman

Cal QB Davis Webb draws comparisons to Goff

N

ow that we have passed the halfway point of the college football season, we can begin to focus on some top prospects from around the country each week.

Friday night on ESPN, Oregon visits Cal. While neither team is ranked, they still have some good NFL prospects to take a look at.

The best prospect at Cal is quarterback Davis Webb. Webb is a senior transfer from Texas Tech where he was a part-time starter from 2013-2015. During his time at Texas Tech, Webb threw for over 5,500 yards and 46 touchdowns. To date this year at Cal, he has completed 60.8 percent of his throws for 2,256 yards and 22 touchdowns. There are some who like to believe that Webb is a better prospect than Jared Goff was. While that is not the case, Webb has a chance to be a premium-round

draft choice. He has size (5-11, 230 pounds) has and a good arm with achad to deal with some injuries this season, curacy. Having played but still has been able in fairly simple spread to run for 513 yards offenses at Texas Tech and seven touchdowns. and Cal, he will need to Junior wide receiver adjust to the NFL game, but he does have upside Darren Carrington II as a prospect. has size, but we don’t Junior wide receivsee the top-end speed that we have seen from er Chad Hansen is GREG GABRIEL other Oregon receivers. sure-handed and can @greggabe run good routes, but Saturday at noon he lacks top-end speed.

ET, Indiana plays at Running back Khalfani MuhamNorthwestern on the Big Ten Netmad has speed and a burst, but very work. Indiana has one of the better marginal size. He is a spot player guards in the country in senior Dan Freeney. Freeney is big, strong and prospect at best.

At Oregon, junior offensive tackathletic and equally good in the run or pass game. le Tyrell Crosby was thought to be a premium-round prospect, but an inNebraska entertains Purdue at 3:30 ET. Nebraska wide receiver jured foot allowed him only to play in a couple of games. It remains to Jordan Westerkamp has big-play be seen if he will stay in school or ability. He is strong and excellent enter the draft. after the catch. Purdue defensive Running back Royce Freeman tackle Jake Replogle has early-to-

•

•

mid-round talent and is capable of playing as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 or defensive end in a 3-4. In the first five games of the season, he had 28 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

At 3 p.m. ET, No. 19 Utah travels to UCLA. In this game you can look at two potential high-round defensive lineman. UCLA has nose tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, who has had some injuries in his career but when healthy he is very disruptive.

To date this year, he has 18 total tackles. While he is not much of a pass rusher, Vanderdoes can be a force versus the run.

Utah has junior defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei, the younger brother of Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. Lotulelei has missed some time this season with a shoulder injury, but when healthy he can be a dominant run defender who is also able to get a push with his pass rush.

•

alton moves up based on great matchup D at home vs. Browns. Good week for owners of Roethlisberger or Newton to play Mariota.

1. Tom Brady, Patriots @ Steelers 2. Matt Ryan, Falcons vs. Chargers 3. Drew Brees, Saints @ Chiefs 4. Philip Rivers, Chargers @ Falcons 5. Matthew Stafford, Lions vs. Washington 6. Andy Dalton, Bengals vs. Browns 7. Andrew Luck, Colts vs. Titans 8. Marcus Mariota, Titans vs. Colts 9. Aaron Rodgers, Packers vs. Bears 10. Eli Manning, Giants vs. Rams (London) 11. Kirk Cousins, Washington @ Lions 12. Russell Wilson, Seahawks @ Cardinals 13. Derek Carr, Raiders @ Jaguars 14. Carson Palmer, Cardinals vs. Seahawks 15. Blake Bortles, Jaguars vs. Raiders 16. Jameis Winston, Bucs @ 49ers 17. Alex Smith, Chiefs vs. Saints 18. Joe Flacco, Ravens @ Jets 19. Tyrod Taylor, Bills @ Dolphins 20. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins vs. Bills

TIGHT ENDS

Tom Brady

AP PHOTO

LeSean McCoy

AP PHOTO

RUNNING BACKS

Monitor status of Doug Martin (ham string) and Eddie Lacy (ankle). If Martin is active, he’s likely healthy, and could be a top 10 RB. Lacy is likely to be limited, even if he plays on Thursday.

1. LeSean McCoy, Bills @ Dolphins 2. DeMarco Murray, Titans vs. Colts 3. Todd Gurley, Rams vs. Giants (London) 4. David Johnson, Cardinals vs. Seahawks 5. Devonta Freeman, Falcons vs. Chargers 6. Le’Veon Bell, Steelers vs. Patriots 7. C.J. Anderson, Broncos vs. Texans 8. Melvin Gordon, Chargers @ Falcons 9. Spencer Ware, Chiefs vs. Saints 10. Mark Ingram, Saints @ Chiefs 11. Christine Michael, Seahawks @ Cardinals 12. Carlos Hyde*, 49ers vs. Bucs 13. Lamar Miller, Texans @ Broncos 14. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots @ Steelers 15. Jay Ajayi, Dolphins vs. Bills 16. Doug Martin*, Bucs @ 49ers 17. Matt Jones, Washington @ Lions 18. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs vs. Saints 19. Giovani Bernard, Bengals vs. Browns 20. Jordan Howard, Bears @ Packers 21. Matt Forte, Jets vs. Ravens 22. Isaiah Crowell, Browns @ Bengals 23. Tevin Coleman, Falcons vs. Saints 24. Terrance West, Ravens @ Jets 25. James White, Patriots @ Steelers 26. Frank Gore, Colts vs. Titans 27. Ryan Mathews, Eagles vs. Vikings 28. Jeremy Hill, Bengals vs. Browns 29. Jerick McKinnon, Vikings @ Eagles 30. Eddie Lacy*, Packers vs. Bears 31. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars vs. Raiders 32. Jacquizz Rodgers, Bucs @ 49ers 33. Zach Zenner, Lions vs. Washington 34. Latavius Murray*, Raiders @ Jaguars 35. Chris Ivory, Jaguars vs. Raiders

Keep an eye on the status of Jordan Reed (concussion). If he’s active, move him up to No. 2 and scratch Davis from the list. Zach Ertz will remain down our list until he establishes some type of connection with Wentz.

1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots @ Steelers 2. Travis Kelce, Chiefs vs. Saints 3. Coby Fleener, Saints @ Chiefs 4. Hunter Henry, Chargers @ Falcons 5. Martellus Bennett, Patriots @ Steelers 6. Delanie Walker, Titans vs. Colts 7. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings @ Eagles 8. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks @ Cardinals 9. Charles Clay, Bills @ Dolphins 10. Zach Miller, Bears @ Packers 11. Cameron Brate, Bucs @ 49ers 12. Gary Barnidge, Browns @ Bengals 13. Julius Thomas, Jaguars vs. Raiders 14. Vernon Davis, Washington @ Lions 15. Zach Ertz, Eagles vs. Vikings 16. Dennis Pitta, Ravens @ Jets 17. Jack Doyle, Colts vs. Titans 18. Jesse James, Steelers vs. Patriots 19. Jacob Tamme, Falcons vs. Chargers 20. C.J. Fiedorowicz, Texans @ Broncos

PLACEKICKERS

Julio Jones

WIDE RECEIVERS

AP PHOTO

J ones, Green, Robinson and Evans have exceptional matchups. Seattle at Arizona is seemingly a defensive battle, but the two teams combined for 71 points in their first meeting last season.

1. Julio Jones, Falcons vs. Chargers 2. Odell Beckham, Giants @ Rams (London) 3. A.J. Green, Bengals vs. Browns 4. Allen Robinson, Jaguars vs. Raiders 5. Mike Evans, Bucs @ 49ers 6. T.Y. Hilton, Colts @ Titans 7. Brandin Cooks, Saints @ Chiefs 8. Marvin Jones, Lions vs. Washington 9. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins vs. Bills 10. Jordy Nelson, Packers vs. Bears 11. Brandon Marshall, Jets vs. Ravens 12. Amari Cooper, Raiders @ Jaguars 13. Antonio Brown, Steelers vs. Patriots 14. Alshon Jeffery, Bears @ Packers 15. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos vs. Texans

Rob Gronkowski

AP PHOTO

16. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs vs. Saints 17. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals vs. Seahawks 18. Michael Crabtree, Raiders @ Jaguars 19. Allen Hurns, Jaguars @ Raiders 20. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans @ Broncos 21. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks @ Cardinals 22. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos vs. Texans 23. Julian Edelman, Patriots @ Steelers 24. Randall Cobb, Packers vs. Bears 25. Golden Tate, Lions vs. Washington 26. Terrelle Pryor*, Browns @ Bengals 27. Travis Benjamin, Chargers @ Falcons 28. Willie Snead, Saints @ Chiefs 29. John Brown, Cardinals vs. Seahawks 30. DeSean Jackson, Washington @ Lions 31. Stefon Diggs*, Vikings @ Eagles 32. Sterling Shepard, Giants @ Rams (London) 33. Jordan Matthews, Eagles vs. Vikings 34. Cameron Meredith, Bears @ Packers 35. Kenny Britt, Rams vs. Giants (London) 36. Will Fuller*, Texans @ Broncos

1. Matt Bryant, Falcons vs. Chargers 2. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots @ Steelers 3. Mason Crosby, Packers vs. Bears 4. Justin Tucker, Ravens @ Jets 5. Mike Nugent, Bengals vs. Browns 6. Adam Vinatieri, Colts @ Titans 7. Cairo Santos, Chiefs vs. Saints 8. Brandon McManus, Broncos vs. Texans 9. Matt Prater, Lions vs. Wash 10. Dustin Hopkins, Washington @ Lions 11. Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals vs. Seahawks 12. Roberto Aguayo, Bucs @ 49ers 13. Josh Lambo, Chargers @ Falcons 14. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks @ Cards 15. Will Lutz, Saints @ Chiefs

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS 1. Vikings @ Eagles 2. Broncos vs. Texans 3. Patriots @ Steelers 4. Bengals vs. Browns 5. Cardinals vs. Seahawks 6. Seahawks @ Cardinals 7. Bills @ Dolphins 8. Ravens @ Jets 9. Titans vs. Colts 10. Eagles vs. Vikings 11. Rams vs. Giants (London) 12. Jets @ Ravens 13. Texans @ Broncos 14. Packers vs. Bears 15. Giants @ Rams (London)

*Check injury status

TEAMS ON BYE Panthers, Cowboys

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

QUARTERBACKS

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

Should pass interference calls be reviewable?

NATE ATKINS HUB ARKUSH another yard Atlanta would have had a shot at about a 52yard, game-winning kick. Now fans everywhere are arguing the point: Should the stripes be able to use replay more widely to get game-changing calls right?

McCaleb: They need to get game-changing calls right like the blatant interference you referenced, Hub, but should they need replay to do so? Everyone watching that play but the seven guys in black and white saw Sherman grab Jones’ arm. I don’t understand it. Instant replay, which already slows down the game, is one option, but are there others? Does the NFL need more officials on the field? NFL offi-

PATRICK FINLEY DAN McCALEB

cials currently are part-timers.

If they were full-timers with tons more training, would that help? I guess I’m trying to figure out if there are potential solutions other than replay, which the NFL seems to be overly reliant on already. What do you think, Hub? Arkush: Thank you, thank you, thank you! Dan, I have been screaming for decades now that there is no excuse for the NFL not having full-time officials. The issue we get into there is people immediately assume you’re throwing the current officials under the bus and that’s really not the case.

It is a very difficult job and NFL officials today do a good job for the most part. But they

can do better. One of the things you notice right off is most of the current officials are middle-aged to even older and it’s not realistic to think they can keep up with some of the greatest athletes in the world.

They’re bound to get caught out of position occasionally and that’s usually how the mistakes like the one in the Atlanta-Seattle game happen.

McCaleb: I agree, Hub. That’s why I’d be an advocate for both adding more officials to each game and requiring they be full-time. We can still have the replay discussion, but would you also allow for replay review on plays where intereference is called? Would that have to be a coach’s challenge?

What happens in the replay booth when both the offensive and the defensive player are pushing or holding on a pass play? Is a defensive pass interference call reversed in that situation? For me, it gets kind of murky, which is why I’d rather not make it reviewable.

Arkush: Yep Dan, therein lies the rub. I would like full-time officials who are also younger and more athletic; I don’t know that we need more. And I would expand replay but you can’t replay everything. So the way I’d go is, I would expand replay to include pass interference and unnecessary roughness – including roughing the passer – if called on the field, but I would also stay with just the two coach’s challenges so we’re not getting replays on every down. What do you think?

McCaleb: “... if called on the field” wouldn’t have helped in the Seattle-Atlanta game. I’m going to stick with my initial recommendation. I recognize that this is the kind of subject where you ask 10 different football fans, you could get 10 different opinions.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

P

ro Football Weekly’s Hub Arkush and Dan McCaleb discuss the bad non-call in the Falcons-Seahawks game and whether pass interference should be reviewable: Arkush: Well, Dan, another hot button issue for the NFL ended up in the middle of the news again this past Sunday when officials calling the Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks game missed a blatant pass interference call on Richard Sherman against Julio Jones. Just about 20 seconds after the Seahawks hit a field goal to take a 26-24 lead over the Falcons with just less than two minutes remaining, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan put up a desperation throw on 4th and 10 thinking Jones could make a play. He most likely would have if Sherman hadn’t grabbed Jones’ right arm and side and held him as he tried to go up for the ball at about the Seattle 35-yard line. It only took one quick look at the replay to see the blatant interference. Had the officials gotten it right, even without gaining

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016

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