NFL Week 13 Recap and Week 14 Waiver Wire

Good Lord, that MNF game between Dallas and Washington was a showcase in futility. There were more flags thrown than points for 58 minutes of it. It was fitting that it pitted two NFC East teams against each other. Last season, many folks talked about what a travesty the NFC South was and that it should not get a playoff bid. Well, I would take any of those 4 teams from last season against any of the NFC East teams this season. The NFC South would kick the crap out of them. The NFC East has NO Elite QBs, no RB1s or startable defenses and simply put, three players that are worth watching though Dez and DeSean get under my skin. Put Tampa in the playoffs over any of these duds. Since someone has to win the division, I am rooting for Dallas to win the division at 6-10 and maybe spur head a change that eliminates a division from playoff contention if under .500.

If the play on the field wasn’t turning my stomach enough, the recent NFL tie-ins with the field of entertainment certainly is. Making a big deal out of Coldplay playing the Super Bowl was gut-wrenching,  but seeing news about Jon Bon Jovi doing some kind of special tour for “Super Fans” really put me over the edge. True Super Fans are those who show up at daybreak on game day, drink morning beers and grill up lots of meat before attending the game to WATCH quality play on the field, bitch when it isn’t up to standards and remain optimistic about the team’s future in the face of seeing Blaine Gabbert throw a 71-yard game-winning TD to end your season. That Bears experience is found in many teams. I’m just citing personal experience that I know fans of other teams can relate to. Keep rappers, hair bands and whatever Coldplay is out of my NFL before you lose me.

Other Week 13 notes:

• Tom Brady has already led the Patriots in rushing yards in one game this year and now he is trying his hand at receiving yards! Any time he gets a chance to run, I love it. He makes me look like Usain Bolt.
• The Giants blew another fourth quarter lead and it coincided with bad play-calling and another killer Eli INT. The guy is an amalgam of Bad Jay Cutler and Matt Schaub. The meltdowns are as frequent as Lindsay Lohan’s.
• Lost in the buzz of a moon shot Hail Mary in Detroit was Green Bay going old school with RB Eddie Lacy and Alonzo Harris and punishing them for missing curfew. It was painful for us Eddie Lacy owners as he was Active and we had no knowledge of the coaching staff’s decision to punish him with bench time. Thanks for the zero, Eddie. RB John Crockett took advantage of the trust the coaching staff put in him with the 5 attempts he received. I recommend keeping an eye on his reps this week.
• Normally reliable Robbie Gould started off his birthday on Sunday by nailing 2 long field goals and then choked on his cake on the next 2; including what would have been the game-winner. Sunday was an all-around bad day for kickers.
• Week 14 is the last week that MFS will be running 4-Week Frenzy leagues (monthly fantasy leagues) as there are only 4 weeks left in the NFL regular season. Make sure to give those a consideration when signing up for your Daily or Weekly fantasy leagues.

90% of fantasy leagues are now slipping into the playoffs so less teams are scrambling for available players, which makes acquiring them a bit easier if you have injuries to deal with or are ready to finally cut some deadwood. Much of what is available this week has been there most of the year. There aren’t many new revelations.

QB: Jameis Winston (TB) – the offense is healthy and full of weapons, Winston is playing with great confidence and the Saints defense is coming to town. Winston gets a huge jump in the ranks this weekend and I start him over the likes of Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan and Derek Carr.

RB: James White (NE) – White burst onto the scene in Week 11 after Dion Lewis was lost to injury and was a hot commodity then, especially in PPR leagues. After a goose egg in Week 12, many impatient owners tossed him out and moved on. Their quick trigger finger is our gain as, in Week 13, White showed how important his role is in the Patriots gameplan, especially with their receiving corps decimated by injuries or ineptitude (see Brandon LaFell’s route-running gaffes).

RB: Bilal Powell (NYJ) – Powell is finally healthy again and back to being a complement to the pounding of RB Chris Ivory. Powell was a flat-out stud in PPR leagues last week on virtually no one’s team so it should be easy to add him if you have room and White is not available.

WR: Dorial Green-Beckham (TENN) – DGB is a true feast-or-famine receiver right now. He has the size to be a huge factor, especially in the Red Zone, but he is too raw to be trusted often by the coaching staff. He did score points with the coaching staff last week with his downfield blocking on Marcus Mariota’s 87-yard TD run. The Jets are not the best matchup for DGB, but he is worth a bench spot if you have one available.

WR DeVante Parker (MIA) – I recommended Parker last week and he delivered with a solid day which included a beautiful TD grab. The kid has mad skills and will put up solid numbers the rest of the season so grab him and start him if available in your league. He will tear up the Giants’ lack of a secondary this week.

TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE) – ASJ broke out in a big way to start the season but then got hurt and has been out and a non-factor since. He is healthy again and the Bucs are pushing for a playoff bid. With TEs Martellus Bennett, Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald and Crockett Gillmore getting hurt, you may have a need for a new, big target and ASJ is it. If he is magically gone, you could consider Owen Daniels (DEN) or Zach Miller (CHI).