“I Just Need Some Points” (D/STs Owned In 70-20% Of 10-Team Yahoo Leagues)
New Orleans Saints - @ Carolina Panthers
Easily one of the hottest defenses in the NFL right now and criminally under-owned to be included in this week’s D/ST selection. Simple solution: if the Saints unit is available, pick them up. The proof is in the pudding with five straight games of holding opponents under 17 points scored, 3-plus sacks, and two or more turnovers in 4-of-5 games. Even on the road against a reeling Panthers team, I like the Saints to pick on a banged-up Cam Newton, pun intended. The Saints are one of the better D/ST plays this week.
Buffalo Bills – VS Detroit Lions
Hoping your faith was placed elsewhere over the Bills defense last week as they failed to cash in with one of the better matchups in Week 14. Well, here is yet another great matchup on paper for the Bills as the Lions offense has continued to fall further and further since their strong start to the season, culminating in last week’s 11 points and 218 yards of total offense against the Cardinals. If you are believer in matchup plays, then the Bills are one of the best options for you this week.
Detroit Lions - @ Buffalo Bills
Yes, it was the offense for the Bills that was the thorn in the side of the Bills defense and thus spoiling a good matchup last week. This is good news for the Lions, who are coming off an advantageous showing against a putrid Cardinals offense. The Lions defense has shown a solid floor most of the season, but it flashed what kind of ceiling it can have playing as the better team. In this matchup, that better team is the Lions, but not by much. Despite the Bills late season offensive improvement, I still like the Lions to produce a solid fantasy outing via sacks and turnovers this week.
“So, You’re Saying There’s A Chance” (D/STs Owned In 20-10% of 10-Team Yahoo Leagues)
Arizona Cardinals - @ Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons offense has the talent that can light up the scoreboard on any given Sunday, but they haven’t been playing like it over the last five weeks. In that span, the Falcons have scored 20 points once, allowed 16 sacks, and turned the ball over 10 times. The Cardinals defense has played its best against talented offenses this season, and I expect them to put up yet another fight as an underdog on the road. You could do worse than squeezing a few points out of the Cardinals this week.
“You Might Want To Look Away” (D/STs Owned in <10% 10-Team Yahoo Leagues)
Cincinnati Bengals – VS Oakland Raiders
I’ll admit that the Raiders have been more competitive over the last few weeks, but as teams begin to jockey for both playoff and draft position I think the Raiders begin to take their foot off the gas a bit as early as this week on the road against the Bengals. You could even argue that as banged up as the Bengals are, they still field the more talented team and defense. Not a safe bet, but I think the Bengals win this game thanks to their defense. Picking on the Raiders has been a good spot all season, and I don’t expect that to change in Week 15.
THE MUNDO