Week 12 Thoughts & Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

The Seahawks' secondary has been awful this season. Witness Ben dropping 450+ on them. Brown has been off-the-charts amazing with Ben this season. I thought the stars were aligning for them to have huge games. I got it half right. Unfortunately Brown was the one I was most invested in. But on paper, the matchup looked great. Seattle's D isn't what it used to be and outside of a couple of games I don't think Sherman has played as well as he has in the past. To his credit, his best games this season have come against Dez and now Brown so he has risen to the challenge there.

Julio was facing the Vikings. Davis plays for Indy. Minnesota's D is good but they do not have a shutdown CB. In fact, the best way to beat the Vikings is to throw it. So while Ryan has been terrible lately I didn't see Julio being victimized since he has been overcoming Ryan's issues lately.

I thought the stack was sweet. I still cashed with that lineup but didn't bring in as much as I thought I could. It likely won't be the last time I go that route, especially since the RB position has been decimated and the cheaper options are delivering as much as the high-priced backs right now.

[TR]

The Seahawks' secondary has been awful this season. Witness Ben dropping 450+ on them. Brown has been off-the-charts amazing with Ben this season. I thought the stars were aligning for them to have huge games. I got it half right. Unfortunately Brown was the one I was most invested in. But on paper, the matchup looked great. Seattle's D isn't what it used to be and outside of a couple of games I don't think Sherman has played as well as he has in the past. To his credit, his best games this season have come against Dez and now Brown so he has risen to the challenge there.

Julio was facing the Vikings. Davis plays for Indy. Minnesota's D is good but they do not have a shutdown CB. In fact, the best way to beat the Vikings is to throw it. So while Ryan has been terrible lately I didn't see Julio being victimized since he has been overcoming Ryan's issues lately.

I thought the stack was sweet. I still cashed with that lineup but didn't bring in as much as I thought I could. It likely won't be the last time I go that route, especially since the RB position has been decimated and the cheaper options are delivering as much as the high-priced backs right now.

I agree the seahawks secondary has been awful...but not Richard Sherman...he's been very good shutting down/containing whoever he's been assigned to cover and not a wise move to pepper somebody he's shadowing the entire game with targets...Steelers have so many weapons including Martavis Bryant with much better matchup. I could understand feeling great about Brown if he was at Bryant's price..but he still cost alot more...Bryant was the better play in terms of price and facing the weaker parts of seattle secondary,

My bad regarding the Vontae Davis mention, he did take care of Nuk Hopkins who everyone seemed to think had a sweet matchup. The Vikes have alot of talent in their secondary and been playing pretty well, I dunno if throwing is the best way to beat them. Xavier Rhodes has been more inconsistent this season but I've seen him handle Megatron pretty well more often than not past several years..he's got the size to make things alot more difficult for a similar bigger receiver like Julio Jones, who has a QB that already has been so awful lately.

[Tom Kessenich]

I haven't been impressed with Sherman this season. James Jones beat him bad for an easy TD earlier in the season and Mike Floyd ran right by him for one a couple of weeks ago. I fully expected Brown to get his usual number of targets since Ben trusts him so much. I also thought they'd move him around and get him in the slot more since Sherman typically doesn't like playing there. That didn't happen because Wheaton was playing like Jerry Rice.

Those are the kinds of things you can't predict. If Wheaton plays like Markus Wheaton I'm guessing Ben feels more compelled to throw to Brown like he usually does and the Steelers get more creative to get Brown the ball. 99 times out of 100 I'm willing to bet the game plays out for Brown the way I anticipated but this was the exception game where Markus Wheaton had the game of his life. I doubt we'll see too many more games where Ben throws for 450+ and Brown has a minor role. In fact, we may not see another one like that again. But unfortunately we saw it in Week 12.

To Sherman's credit, he played very well on Sunday. This game and the Dez matchup were by far the most impressive I've seen him play this season.

The Vikings have a good defense but you can throw on them, if for no other reason than their run D is typically real good so you don't have any other choice. Plus he's Julio. So yeah I was feeling good about all 3 of those stud WRs this week. Didn't work out but I don't fault my reasoning. Several top guys soiled the bed this week, especially at WR. It happens.

[CoMoHusker]

The game where Sherman covered Dez did not impress me one bit. Dez was just coming off an injury and probably returned a week too soon. Not to mention, he had Matt Cassel throwing him the ball. Sherman did do an excellent job on Brown Sunday though.

[TR]

I haven't been impressed with Sherman this season. James Jones beat him bad for an easy TD earlier in the season and Mike Floyd ran right by him for one a couple of weeks ago. I fully expected Brown to get his usual number of targets since Ben trusts him so much. I also thought they'd move him around and get him in the slot more since Sherman typically doesn't like playing there. That didn't happen because Wheaton was playing like Jerry Rice.

Those are the kinds of things you can't predict. If Wheaton plays like Markus Wheaton I'm guessing Ben feels more compelled to throw to Brown like he usually does and the Steelers get more creative to get Brown the ball. 99 times out of 100 I'm willing to bet the game plays out for Brown the way I anticipated but this was the exception game where Markus Wheaton had the game of his life. I doubt we'll see too many more games where Ben throws for 450+ and Brown has a minor role. In fact, we may not see another one like that again. But unfortunately we saw it in Week 12.

To Sherman's credit, he played very well on Sunday. This game and the Dez matchup were by far the most impressive I've seen him play this season.

The Vikings have a good defense but you can throw on them, if for no other reason than their run D is typically real good so you don't have any other choice. Plus he's Julio. So yeah I was feeling good about all 3 of those stud WRs this week. Didn't work out but I don't fault my reasoning. Several top guys soiled the bed this week, especially at WR. It happens.

Sherman has been very good when utilized in shadow coverage...I don't think he was assigned to James Jones or Floyd the entire games as they aren't considered their team's number 1 receivers so the plays u mentioned were exceptions to the norm and he was in a zone.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin hinted Markus Wheaton's 201-yard breakout performance was opponent specific and unlikely to recur.
"When you're playing a team like that, and I think we even talked about it earlier in the week, if they're matching Richard Sherman, then other guys not named Antonio Brown are going to have opportunities," Tomlin said. "Let's not make too much out of that.

The stats say otherwise regarding Vikes D being good against the run and worse vs the pass. On the season, Minnesota ranks 28th in run-defense DVOA and resurrected Eddie Lacy (22-100) last week. Ryan is best viewed as a fringe fantasy starter versus a Vikings pass defense that ranks No. 15 in Football Outsiders' DVOA with the sixth fewest passing touchdowns (13) allowed in the league.

[Tom Kessenich]

I stand by my reasoning for playing Brown and I think the points are valid. The Steelers stopped integrating him into the passing game because Wheaton was going gonzo. Unless you think that will happen a lot I will continue to believe that 99 times out of 100 Brown gets better production in a huge Ben passing game than we saw in Week 12.

As someone who owns the Vikings' D I've watched them pretty closely this season. I think their run D is solid but you can make plays on them through the air. Lacy torched them but historically that's a team he has run very well against so it wasn't a surprise he did well two weeks ago. Coleman busted off the big run on his first carry on Sunday but Minnesota did a good job on him after that. I wouldn't be surprised if Rawls did well on them this week since Seattle has a strong focus on the run game, unlike most teams. That's one reason I likely won't be starting the Minnesota D this week. Even at home I don't like this matchup for them.

[TR]

I stand by my reasoning for playing Brown and I think the points are valid. The Steelers stopped integrating him into the passing game because Wheaton was going gonzo. Unless you think that will happen a lot I will continue to believe that 99 times out of 100 Brown gets better production in a huge Ben passing game than we saw in Week 12.

As someone who owns the Vikings' D I've watched them pretty closely this season. I think their run D is solid but you can make plays on them through the air. Lacy torched them but historically that's a team he has run very well against so it wasn't a surprise he did well two weeks ago. Coleman busted off the big run on his first carry on Sunday but Minnesota did a good job on him after that. I wouldn't be surprised if Rawls did well on them this week since Seattle has a strong focus on the run game, unlike most teams. That's one reason I likely won't be starting the Minnesota D this week. Even at home I don't like this matchup for them.

So hypothetically, if the Steelers were able to face Seattle again this season during a full fantasy slate...and u knew Sherman would be assigned to covering Brown the entire game again..would u still feel he was a great play and pay up to use him over Martavis Bryant facing much weaker coverage? A great play to me should have much higher floor...anyone facing Sherman for an entire game is boom or bust at best imo.

[Tom Kessenich]

I'll take my chances with arguably the best WR in the game 100 times out of 100. I don't know anyone who predicted Markus Wheaton going nuts like that. The Seahawks' pass D has been an issue all season so yes I would expect a supremely talented WR to fare well against them more often than not and especially if his quarterback throws for more than 450 yards. Is there anyone who honestly believed Brown would be quiet on a day when Ben threw for 456? Honestly? No way, anyone would've expected that.

If I lose with studs like Antonio Brown failing to deliver I can live with that. I'm not going to beat myself up for believing in Antonio Brown against a pass defense that has leaked production the entire season.

[hankstr56]

I came within 'inches' of starting Anquan Boldin, SF, on Sunday and instead started Doug Baldwin. Our team is struggling, can we stop the season NOW and settle for 2nd place in primetime? Mensa Lite

[TR]

I'll take my chances with arguably the best WR in the game 100 times out of 100. I don't know anyone who predicted Markus Wheaton going nuts like that. The Seahawks' pass D has been an issue all season so yes I would expect a supremely talented WR to fare well against them more often than not and especially if his quarterback throws for more than 450 yards. Is there anyone who honestly believed Brown would be quiet on a day when Ben threw for 456? Honestly? No way, anyone would've expected that.

If I lose with studs like Antonio Brown failing to deliver I can live with that. I'm not going to beat myself up for believing in Antonio Brown against a pass defense that has leaked production the entire season.

That makes sense in season long...not daily when salaries come to play. Of course should take chances of using the best WR in the game when u have a set season long roster. Daily is a different animal, u will have to pay alot more for receiver with diminished chances to exceed his average per game and great risk of falling well short without reaching the endzone. Then u throw in that fanduel only allows 1/2 point per reception so his 5 + catch floor with Ben isn't looking as great either. I'd feel good about Martavis Bryant outscoring Antonio Brown again...can disregard Wheaton but can't do that with Bryant who has proven to be a legit big play talent. Brown's name always looks great on paper, but when u throw in his price tag and a matchup like that...knowing there are so many other receivers around the league u could use for less money...no way I'd be expecting Brown to blow up or be surprised if Bryant outscored him again.