Romo a good bet vs. New Orleans
Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 16 of the 2012 season. Watch 'em roll Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys vs. Saints. Don't be scared off by the Saints' shutout of the Bucs last week. That was an aberration. Romo has been putting up solid, if not stellar, numbers during the Cowboys' late-season roll.
Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 16 of the 2012 season.
Watch 'em roll
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys vs. Saints. Don't be scared off by the Saints' shutout of the Bucs last week. That was an aberration. Romo has been putting up solid, if not stellar, numbers during the Cowboys' late-season roll.
Vick Ballard, RB, Colts at Chiefs. Though he has scored only two touchdowns all season, Ballard has firmly established himself as the workhorse of the Indy backfield.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles vs. Redskins. McCoy is expected to return to his starting role now that he is recovered from his concussion. McCoy carries risk in his return, but the upside is too great to leave on your bench.
Danny Amendola, WR, Rams at Buccaneers. Though still fighting through a foot injury, Amendola is a must-start after his impressive rebound performance in Week 15.
Brandon Lloyd, WR, Patriots at Jaguars. The veteran virtually disappeared for most of November, but his two best performances of the season have come this month, and against some pretty stingy defenses.
More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Robert Griffin III, Matt Schaub, Sam Bradford, and Andrew Luck; RBs DeMarco Murray, C.J. Spiller, Knowshon Moreno, Michael Turner, Stevan Ridley, Darren McFadden, Matt Forte, Reggie Bush, and Alfred Morris; WRs Dez Bryant, Pierre Garcon, Miles Austin, Cecil Shorts, Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Jeremy Maclin, Anquan Boldin, Randall Cobb, Wes Welker, Antonio Brown, Reggie Wayne, Lance Moore, and Steve Smith.
Roll 'em back
Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks vs. 49ers. Few quarterbacks are hotter than Wilson, but his prime-time tilt with the formidable 49ers defense should give you pause. Wilson's worst game of the season (122 passing yards, no TDs) came in Week 7 in San Francisco.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals at Steelers. The Law Firm probably played a prominent role in getting you this far; but just as your stakes get higher, Green-Ellis' road gets tougher.
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers vs. Raiders. Just when he sucks you into believing you can trust him, Williams puts up a stinker to remind you why you've benched (or even released) him more often than not.
Danario Alexander, WR, Chargers at Jets. I wouldn't put it past Alexander to have a solid rebound after his no-catch meltdown in Week 15. That said, I also wouldn't be surprised if the Jets' Antonio Cromartie puts the clamps down on him again.
Sidney Rice, WR, Seahawks vs. 49ers. Unlike his quarterback, Rice has been mediocre the last two weeks against favorable competition.
More thumbs down: QBs Colin Kaepernick, Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler, Andy Dalton, and Ryan Fitzpatrick; RBs Bryce Brown, Mark Ingram, Montel Owens, Beanie Wells, Jonathan Dwyer, Alex Green, and Ronnie Brown; WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Torrey Smith, Josh Gordon, Mike Williams, Jeremy Kerley, Kenny Britt, Golden Tate, and Denarius Moore.
Taking a flier
Brandon Gibson, WR, Rams at Buccaneers. Even with Amendola back in the lineup, Gibson has been targeted plenty by Sam Bradford. In this ultra-favorable aerial matchup, there's room for both wideouts to soar.