NFL Fantasy Versus Week 15: Coin Flip

Playoff time has officially started in every league, which means your options have dwindled down to due to NFL roster and depth chart moves, as well as inconsistent performance and injuries.

Guys like Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, and Anthony Gonzalez left you hanging by a thread for much of the season, but now two are on injured reserve, and the latter has yet to suit up for a game since injuring his kneed in Week One.

This time of the season is all about making the right decisions, and our goal is to provide you with the information so you can do just that. Here are three intriguing match-ups that could help you decide your final fantasy line-up for Week 15 :


Tom Brady, QB, NE (@ BUF) VS. Brett Favre, QB, MIN (@ CAR)

Both quarterbacks have put up over 3,300 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, displaying their ability in their respective offenses to air it out, and both have been quality QB1 starts all season long.

However, this week has both passers facing very stingy pass defenses, making them risky plays heading into the playoffs. And while this decision may have been a no-brainer in 2007 when the Patriots were riding high, recent turmoil surrounding Randy Moss suggests a second glance.

There are two aspects to this match-up:

First, both players are facing top pass defenses, and have struggled against defenses that apply pressure in addition to covering their top receivers well. Brady had a very tough outing in his first game against the Jets this season, and struggled mightily last week against Favre's opponent this week, the Carolina Panthers.

Favre, on the other hand, put up nice overall numbers against the Steelers and Cardinals, but not exactly what you want out of your QB1, especially in the playoffs.

Second, neither player is necessarily what he was going into this season. Brady was hyped up to being the 2007 version, yet has struggled with timing, consistency, and decision-making for much of the season. He's still had the numbers and production, but he just hasn't been the same.

Favre had been the complete opposite, going against all odds.  He as 27 touchdowns and 11 wins with the Vikings to show for it.

Verdict: We're running with Favre this week. True, the Panthers bite down hard against the pass, but they've been burned by teams that can get the running game going early to set up the pass. And that's exactly what the Vikings will do. That, and the Bills simply intercept passes all over the field, and had a fairly good showing against Brady and the Patriots offense the first time around.

Arian Foster, RB, HOU (@ STL) VS. Quinton Ganther, RB, WAS (@ NYG)

Foster put together a nice performance in mop-up duty, touching the ball 18 times for 88 total yards against the Seattle Seahawks. We like his solid performance from last week.  We also like that he'll be the featured back in Houston with Steve Slaton on IR, and Ryan Moats and Chris Brown fumbling away their opportunities.

Ganther is no push-over either, as he rushed for over 50 yards last week, while reaching the end-zone twice. There's a lot to like about his role in a Washington Redskins offense that seems to get more confident and effective every week.

Verdict: Regardless of how much we love Ganther, we can't pass up a possible mammoth fantasy performance with Foster facing the Rams. Go with Foster.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG (@ WAS) VS. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (vs. ATL)

Sure, Jerricho Cotchery hasn't been living up to his "number one receiver" billing at a consistent rate, but with the possibility of getting Mark Sanchez back, and a nice match-up with the vulnerable Atlanta secondary, he should make for a quality WR3 play this week.

On that same note, Nicks will have a favorable match-up with a formerly stingy Redskins secondary that cannot seem to stop anyone that isn't an Oakland Raider these days.

Nicks moved into the Giants starting line-up for the first time last week, and responded with four catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Verdict: We like Nicks to stick as the starter in New York, and we like him over his teammate, Mario Manningham, as well. He's an explosive play-maker who is just hitting his stride in an offense led by a very confident and surprisingly effective Eli Manning. Go with Nicks.